Torchwood America Version 2
by TWIantoJones
Summary: Mr. Franklin is dead. Jason has been shot; will he survive? If so, who will Ianto choose? Can he choose?
1. Chapter 0

** There are Author's Notes at the end of the Introduction chapter. I placed them there so you don't have to scroll down to get to the story if you don't want to read the notes. Thanks!!!

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Full Summary: Five years post "Children of Earth". Torchwood, several years back, went global. One based in North America is about to change. A former Torchwood Cardiff employee, though to be dead for years, is transferred there. They all have to adapt to the new situation. Two people, ravaged by life and personal tragedies, begin a romantic relationship. However, there is danger. Someone wants Jason Monroe out of the way. There is a conspiracy afoot. The American team is eventually forced to work with other Cardiff employees as they attempt to stop a madman from destroying everything. Along the way they all learn some horrible truths about manipulation, love and trust. And three individuals learn the hard way that the path to true love is littered with hardships and doesn't always have a happy ending.

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TORCHWOOD AMERICA (Version 2.0)

Story Arc One

Chapter Zero

2009 was a difficult year for Torchwood Three. Captain Jack Harkness buried two of his employees, Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper when his brother tried to destroy the city of Cardiff as part of his revenge against the Immortal. Jack cryogenically froze his brother in the hopes that one day he would be able to heal the boy's tortured mind. He continued to defend the Earth with Gwen Cooper-Williams and Ianto Jones at his side.

Just when he thought that the pain of losing Toshiko and Owen had begun to fade, his life was ripped to shreds in the span of five terrifying days. This time the personal loss was so great that he felt as if he himself had died even when he knew that was impossible. He was left empty inside, a shell of a man.

In March 2009, aliens known only as the 456 returned to Earth. They bullied the British government into agreeing to give them a "gift" of 10% of the world's children for their own use. The government and UNIT (a government sanctioned group) reluctantly worked to deliver the children. Torchwood Three however wanted to stop the aliens. The Torchwood base was destroyed and Captain Jack was in the base when it was blown up. When he resurrected several hours later he was encased in a concrete cell. His team was able to rescue him and they hid away to continue to fight. Captain Jack's daughter and grandson were taken hostage in an attempt to get him to stand down and let the aliens take the children. Jack and his lover Ianto Jones went to speak to the 456 at the Thames House. Their plan to intimidate the alien, in order to buy themselves time, backfired. The alien representative released an airborne virus at the Thames House and it infected everyone inside. Captain Jack held his lover for the last time as the younger man confessed his love for the Immortal and subsequently died in his arms.

Devastated at the loss of his lover, Captain Jack was arrested and taken to a military facility. He was asked to help stop the aliens from taking the children as well as the Earth itself. With aid from the others, and his daughter's vote of confidence, he began to formulate a plan despite his grief. However he was out of time. There was only one way left to stop the 456. He then had to make the heart-breaking decision to sacrifice his grandson in order to transmit the frequency that ultimately killed the invaders. His daughter could not forgive him, which added to his sorrow.

Captain Jack Harkness traveled the Earth in an attempt to forget about his losses. It didn't work so he left the planet all together. He traveled for a while before he found his Doctor and slowly realized that he was meant to be alone. He willingly returned to Earth one year to the day that he buried his grandson and his lover. He returned to Torchwood Three, which was eventually rebuilt along the Rift in Cardiff, Wales and forced himself to carry on.

There were things that he did not know though. Terrible and mysterious things.

What Captain Jack Harkness did not know was that several years prior to the Battle of Canary Wharf, the Torchwood Institute had begun to expand on a global level. Yvonne Hartman, one of the heads of the Institute, had met with several world governments on behalf of the Institute. Together they set up bases strategically placed throughout the world to aid in the research of alien technology and the defense of Earth from alien threats. On every continent there was at least one Torchwood base staffed by researchers and field agents. They scavenged alien technology for study and use in the event of invasion.

Captain Jack learned about the existence of the other bases after he returned to Earth in early 2010. The events of the 456 had left its mark on the world. The world knew that there was something happening on their planet and they knew that there was something big about to come. World governments worked around the clock to provide their Torchwoods with the means to prevent and protect from alien invaders.

There were six bases in North America alone. One was known as Torchwood Bluemont.

It was at this base, located in a small town, where the stage was being set for a battle. A devastating battle.

Only Captain Jack Harkness didn't know it.

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The base in Bluemont, West Virginia was situated along a Rift in Time and Space much like that of the Cardiff, Wales base. The biggest difference was that the Rift in Bluemont was more stable and predictable. Aliens and people of different eras of Earth came to Bluemont via the Rift all the time. Bluemont was full of Rift activity even though most of the time all that was found was technology.

Jason Monroe headed the Torchwood base in Bluemont. He was born in 1968 and was raised in Michigan with his five older siblings. After graduating high school in 1986 he married his high school sweetheart Kate. He attended Michigan State University but dropped out to enroll in the State Police Academy two years later. After graduating he worked on the police force for a few years before the International Police Force recruited him in 1993. He worked diligently to stop crime on a global level for nearly seven years. In 1998 he discovered he discovered that Kate had betrayed him and their marriage ended on a bitter note two years later. Jason and Kate had four children together, the last born just before the divorce was finalized. The first few months they shared custody but Jason's job proved too time consuming and stressful for him to be able to spend much time with his family. He gave up shared custody only after Kate agreed to allow him to visit his children whenever he was able and to let them visit him as well. This enabled him to focus on his career and still provide for his family.

He felt guilty for traveling the world fighting crime instead of going to all the school plays and reading bedtime stories like he used to but he tried to stay active in their lives. Holidays were spent as a family and weekly phone calls and daily e-mails became the norm for the Monroe's.

With his career taking off Jason caught the attention of Yvonne Hartman. The head of the Torchwood One base in London quickly found herself impressed with the no-nonsense attitude of the man. He got the job done and always managed to stay within the lines, although sometimes just barely. He didn't care what people thought of him when he had to make tough decisions. He understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. He was not afraid to make those sacrifices if there was no other, more humane, way to do it.

Hartman's personal assistant called Jason in March 2001. The woman piqued his interest in the mysterious organization known as Torchwood however; he turned down the offer of a job. For several months he was plagued with phone calls and e-mails from the assistant before he finally agreed to come to London (at Torchwood's expense) and talk to Hartman. He boarded a plan in August of 2001, five months since the first phone call.

Once he arrived at the Torchwood Tower he met with Hartman and actually spit out his coffee when she said that they protected the world from aliens. He told her that he had no interest in joining some "X-Files" fan club. That changed when she led him down deep into the recesses of the Tower. There, in reinforced cages, were numerous aliens. Some had been stumbled upon while others were hunted. All were locked behind clear glass like animals in a zoo. Or like criminals.

"If it's alien, it's ours'," Hartman said with a smile.

She explained the origins of Torchwood and its original mission -- to stop an alien known only as The Doctor. She went into detail about how there were four bases in the U.K. and how there had once been a base in India. She said that the Board of Directors, headed by Mr. Franklin, wanted to expand the Institute. The Board wanted to use its power and intelligence to protect the rest of the world from alien threats. To do that they needed more bases and more Torchwood agents.

Jason's impressive résumé had all ready earned him a reputation at the Institute. He was shown the entire base and over the course of several days he made the decision to resign from Interpol and join Torchwood. He returned to the States and told his family that he was joining a special ops agency and needed to go to London for training. He explained that he would be gone for over two years and would most likely not be able to come home and visit. By January 2002 he had sold his house and his car, finished a mound of paperwork for Interpol, resigned his position and then said goodbye to the country he called home.

He lived and trained in London from January 2002 until December 2004. For nearly three years he worked closely with Hartman as well as the others handpicked by the Board to run a Torchwood base. He watched and learned everything he could about Torchwood and aliens. He used his police skills to help him learn the wrong from the right. He impressed everyone with his exceptional hearing, excellent sense of smell, fantastic eyesight, sharp tongue and quick wit. His ability to think on his feet, even with a gun in his face, caused him to rise to the top of Hartman's personal list.

After his training was complete to Hartman's satisfaction, Jason was assigned to a base in a small town called Bluemont, West Virginia. It was only minutes from a college town and about an hour's drive from the state capital. Having grown up in Lansing, Michigan and then living in London for a few years it was hard for him to go to a city where the local Wal-Mart was the most exciting place to go. He knew that was an exaggeration, but he was so used to being surrounded with big cities and big city excitement that at first it seemed a step backward. That of course changed when he learned why there was a base in West Virginia.

He was excited to learn that he was going to run a base that monitored a Rift. He had learned about the Cardiff Rift and had driven himself to learn all that he could about Rifts. He wanted to know where they came from, how they worked, if they could be controlled -- he was as excited about Rifts as children were over Christmas. To be on top of one was something he had only dreamed about since joining Torchwood. He knew it was not going to be easy. The Rift was likely to spit out anything from a 17th century hairbrush to a man-eating squid from another planet and he would have to be prepared to deal with it.

His team were all American, handpicked and trained by the Institute. Torchwood had liaised with the American Department of Defense for months and much of the funding for the North American bases came straight from the government.

The North American Torchwoods had a much better working relationship with the various agencies available than their U.K. counterparts. Jason used his previous jobs in law enforcement to get on good terms with the West Virginia police and sheriffs. The National Guard, FBI, CIA and Interpol were also instrumental in aiding the North American bases. There was a secret panel made up of government workers whose purpose was to provide funding and cover-ups as well as military assistance as needed. Aliens came to the U.S., but the people of the country didn't know it.

There was another major difference in the North American bases in relation to the U.K. All five bases -- California, Texas, New York, West Virginia and Canada-- communicated regularly. Technology and information was exchanged all the time. In fact, one of Jason's field agents had come from the Texas base.

The lack of communication between North America and the rest of the world was a sore point for Jason. His own communication with London was Hartman and even that was limited. He also knew that the other U.K. bases rarely spoke, let alone work together. He and the other North American leaders refused to go down that path. They even sent regular status updates to the all the other branches in an attempt to maintain some sort of camaraderie.

When Jason joined Torchwood there were four bases. Torchwood One was in England and was filled with snooty researchers who often shared the same opinions that Hartman did. Two was in Scotland and was primarily research. Three was in Wales and was the most obnoxious of all. While protecting the Earth and watching the Rift they also blatantly proclaimed who they were and were often sloppy in their cover-ups. Their leader, Captain Jack Harkness, was a big show-off and his team acted independently. Four was in Ireland. It was similar to One in what it achieved but with far fewer people and much less attitude.

Jason had quickly grown to dislike Hartman. He could respect her for what she was attempting to accomplish but he did not approve of her methods. He also seriously doubted that her aims were merely to protect the Earth from alien invasion. She had another, more sinister agenda. However he kept those thoughts to himself. He would do his best to change the way Torchwood was run by using his own methods for his base.

The in early 2006 Torchwood Four disappeared. There was no warning, no reason for the disappearance. Jason began to seriously doubt the intelligence of the Institute as a whole. How in the world could an entire base half a block long and three stories high just vanish without a trace? And what about the staff? There had been over one hundred people employeed there. All but a handful had been at work that day. So many families had no idea what had become of their loved one. Concern growing in the pit of his belly, Jason had contacted Hartman's direct line. She was less than encouraging as she tried to assure him that everything would be all right. Hartman told him that they were looking for the base but he could tell that she was worried. She had somehow lost one hundred people. Their fates were as much her fault as any aliens.

But Hartman didn't learn from her mistakes.

In November 2006 came the "Ghost Shift Experiments." Hartman signed off on the order to tap into the other dimension, believing it to be a weapon that Torchwood could use. Instead, maniacal robots known as Cybermen tried to take over the Earth. More alien robots, called Daleks, arrived and engaged in a battle with the Cybermen. Torchwood One was at the heart of the battle and all but twenty-seven Torchwood employees were either killed or converted, including Yvonne Hartman. The devastation became known as the Battle of Canary Wharf because the Tower's location was where it first began.

In North America, Jason and his colleagues could only watch as the Torchwood Tower fell. Torchwoods Two and Three distanced themselves even more from the Institute and continued to work independently. This made it easy for the North American bases to do as the rest of the world's Torchwoods were doing. Many of the other Torchwoods had all ready distanced themselves from the Institute. They still had to take orders from the Board as Mr. Franklin and several of them had been hidden away while the battle occurred. No one knew where the Board was now but they were still employeed by the Institute and so could not turn completely away. They did however ignore all of the signs that there was something bigger going on.

That was a mistake.

It was March 2009.

"We are coming. We are coming."

Jason watched in horror as his youngest child and some of her friends spoke in unison.

The 456 had returned to Earth after many years from the first encounter. After five of the most terrifying days of Jason Monroe's life he and the rest of the North American bases received official reports from the Board concerning the fate of Torchwood Three. They did not know the details, but they knew that Torchwood Three had been completely destroyed and its team in ruin. The report stated that the Rift at Cardiff would be left alone and that the base would not be rebuilt. Typical of the Institute.

However, just like Captain Harkness, there were things that the North American bases had not been told.

They had not been told that Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper had rebuilt their team and continued to defend the Earth from their new underground base at Cardiff.

That was another mistake. One that would change the lives of so many forever.

* * *

Torchwood America (Version 2.0) Story Notes:

First off, thanks to everyone for reading my story! And thank you so much for your patience as I rewrite this story!! You're the best!

The repost of "Torchwood America" is not complete but I have the basic storyline written. When I first started writing this story it was merely a way for me to deal with the aftermath of the massacre that was called "Children of Earth" and was posted chapter by chapter literally hours after each part was written. I had no idea where the story was going but had a blast trying to figure it out. I'm sure most, if not all, of my fellow writers have experienced this phenomenon at least once in their lives. If you haven't, then I highly recommend you sit down and just start writing without thinking anything through. It's a bit of a rush as well as a bit terrifying!

The idea for "Torchwood America" came to me one day when I was watching TV and started thinking about remakes of series from one country to another. I tried to imagine what would happen if a U.S. television production company got a hold of TW. Scary. I mean, the characters would be too stereotyped or too carbon copied to be fun. Everyone would have classic good looks, Ianto would be flaming (and called Jonathon or something else non-Welsh), Tosh would be a typical geek who cleans up nice (instead of as beautiful as she is) and the others would go the same way. So instead of writing (which I never considered…) Torchwood as an American institution, I chose to write this as a spin-off. Spin-offs are hard enough to make work, remakes are nearly impossible. There are some good remakes, but most aren't worth it. The only advantage to an America Torchwood remake would be longer seasons. But if the characters weren't portrayed well and the stories intriguing, would that even matter?

Initially I was intending to have the story be only about Ianto and Jason meeting and falling in love. They would have to deal with Ianto's feelings for Jack but the only times Jack would appear would be in flashbacks/memories. The fate of our beloved Torchwood Cardiff branch would never have come into play. This was so that whenever series 4 happens I would not be contradicting anything with that. After all, if Ianto and Jack never met up again then Jason would have a clear (though bumpy) field to be with Ianto.

HOWEVER! When I started a chapter with bits of the Janto relationship (a first draft that never got posted, thank goodness! It was horrible!) one of my muses started talking in Jack's voice. He wanted to know why he couldn't be in it in real-time. So I scrapped the first draft and rewrote it. The chapter where Gwen first emails Jason is the result. Muse Jack still wasn't satisfied. He wanted Jack to fight for Ianto. After all, you have to agree, it would add drama and angst (angst is my forte!). So I decided to bring Jack slowly into it. I also wanted to expand on Jason's life and character. That's why I brought Kate and the kids into it.

But still the muses weren't happy. They wanted more. Greedy little bastards, aren't they?

So I started to look at the story from start to finish instead of just flying blind from one part to the next. I noticed the little things and wanted to correct them. I sat down and read the entire story from A to Z, making notes as I went. Whenever I took a break from writing I was reading or watching DVDs. Torchwood fan fiction and novels as well as the entire TV series. That's how I picked the villain (Mr. F). The writers/producers/directors of Torchwood had so many great opportunities to add drama and flare without having to get too many new faces or take away from the quirkiness that made the show a **unique** science fiction program. Suzie and Gray alone had so much potential. If they try to use them now (and explain how they survived the Hub's destruction in a plausible manner) it would seem too forced and tired.

Perhaps that's why I chose those very people to feature in my story. We know so little about Jack's home world it's a shame. And Suzie should have been a recurring villain in the show, eventually teaming up with Gray in the end.

I have rewritten MUCH of "Torchwood America" and I hope you like it. Chapters have been combined and expanded on. Many of the minor characters (Jenny, Sam and Miranda) are given personalities. I try to show everyone's flaws since no one is perfect. Jack is in it sooner, but is still in Cardiff for a bit. There's more on the **Janto** relationship as well as the "lost" memories of the **Iason** relationship. There are more familiar faces trying to help them solve the puzzle. Plus, there's so much more to Jason himself than meets the eye. You're all in for a few surprises!

In closing: This story will take place in 3 sections. The first is primarily Jason and Ianto getting together with drama and angst and a bit of Jack for dessert. The second is sort of an interlude where Jack arrives and we get to see his thoughts, Ianto's thoughts and Jason's thoughts on the reunion (probably one chapter, but maybe three). The third section is where they all have to fight to stop Mr. F from taking over and deal with the consequences of his meddling. Ianto will have to choose who he will live his life with. No, can't tell you. But I will tell you this, when the third section is complete, there's room for a sequel. But that will depend on the readers as well as life and my muses. I'm also rewriting "After the Fall", so a sequel might have to wait.

Quick question for you all, **so please voice your opinion**: I'm considering writing more stories featuring Jason Monroe, as I quite adore him. If I could work him into more stories without connecting him to "Torchwood America", would you like that? I think he's a good rival for Jack (not just for ianto's affections, either) as well as just fun to play with in general. So what do you think? Alternate universe stories with Jason or not? Of course, it's up to me in the end, but I more than value all of yours' input.

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Now! On with the story! Please read and enjoy "Torchwood America" (Version 2.0)! Email me at twiantojones , through my profile page or just click the review button to tell me what you think. Hopefully, Version 2.0 is better than the original! Time line will be included every few chapters.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Welcome to Bluemont

_June 2, 2014. Monday afternoon. Bluemont, W.V. Torchwood base._

Jason Monroe stretched his toned arms and listened to the satisfying sound of joints popping. He smirked as Jenny, his chief doctor grimaced at the sound. The two of them were in his office going over the weekly reports.

It had been a long day for the team of Torchwood Bluemont. They had discovered a new alien species that was taking up residence in the sewers and it was causing much frustration. Jenny figured it to be some sort of alien primate. She wanted to study them further but there was little they could do at this point. There were also the "tourists" that had gotten lost on their way back home and were currently staying at a Torchwood safe house until their ship was space-worthy. Not to mention that the Rift had been actively spewing out alien and advanced Earth technology all week that had to be assessed and catalogued before it could be sent to the next base. It was looking to be a long week.

"Must you do that?" Jenny muttered. She shuffled the collated reports around placing them in piles according to the subject matter. She was particular about how she organized. She always had been. It was one of her strong suits, as well as a characteristic inherited from her mother that she had actually found a use for. As a doctor, especially for a special ops agency like Torchwood, organization was fundamental to getting her work finished and keeping her sanity.

Jason's smirk grew mischievous at her tone. He loved to aggravate her to the point that it had almost become a game to them both. He would nitpick at her until she exploded. She was certain that he was keeping score based on some twisted 'man code'. One of these days she was going to crack the code and triumph over the evil that was the human male.

She contemplated Jason as he began to re-organize the reports on his desks, lining them up in chronological order (no doubt just to piss her off). It was easy for her to see why so many people were eager to get into his bed. Jason Monroe was a very attractive man. He was 6'4" tall and built -- six pack abs, chiseled pecs, broad shoulders -- he had short black hair, dark brown eyes, straight nose, high cheek bones, square jaw; his face looked as if it had been sculpted out of stone. His Mediterranean heritage blessed him with naturally darker skin. He worked hard to get and keep his body in tiptop shape and he liked to show it off with well-cut pants and form-fitting shirts.

_Too bad_, she thought, _that his fantastic looks are overshadowed by his ruthless personality._

He was, to put it bluntly, an asshole. Jason had become bitter after his marriage had ended in divorce. Jenny didn't know all of the details, and she would never ask, but she knew that his wife had cheated on him and now he was soured on relationships. He willingly made the decision to be a bachelor. He chose to go through life alone. He could easily have his pick of any good-looking person yet he chose to stay away from commitment. Jason had sworn off of relationships completely. Now he focused on his career and indulged himself in guiltless flings and torrid affairs. There was no room for discrimination in Jason Monroe's bed. Males and females of various ages and cultures fell for his good looks and the charm he used when on the prowl. He oozed sexuality and charisma in a way that reminded her of the classic hero lovers, such as Don Juan and Casanova. The difference here was that he was _real_. His affairs never lasted long. In fact the longest he had been involved with anyone was three years ago and that had ended after two weeks when the young girl (a college student) had invited him to join her on a weekend getaway. Jason had ended things immediately. He had erected such a thick wall around his emotions that he refused to allow anyone to get close enough to care about them. He never stayed the night; he rarely saw someone more than a handful of times. Instead of affection found in a long-term partner, he looked for sexual satisfaction with someone whose name he couldn't recall the next day.

Jason was a good leader despite his asshole personality. He never asked anyone to do something that he was unwilling to do himself. He was most often the first to jump into danger and the last to leave the scene. If an alien were no threat to anyone he would calmly help get the alien back home or arrange a way for it to avoid detection while on Earth. He was not afraid to pull out his gun or use his fists however, when an alien proved to be hostile. Malevolence was not something that he tolerated, no matter what. There were no secrets kept from the team, save his personal life. Even that was up for grabs if it could somehow be connected, however abstractly, to the case they were working on. They all knew that they could count on their leader. No one person had to do everything; everyone pitched in wherever they could. Everyone was responsible for their own work but all were willing to lend a hand if needed. Jason saw to it that his team got to have lives outside of Torchwood, which was rare for most of the bases. There were twelve team members besides Jason and they were all on rotating shifts so that they could rest and recuperate as well as be with loved ones.

He might have been an asshole, but at least he was a damn good one.

Jenny gave him a dirty look as she glanced down at what had been her neatly organized piles of reports.

"Sorry, Doc." He grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Okay, I think we're about finished here. We'll continue to monitor these ape things. If possible we need to capture one so we can examine it." He picked up one of the reports. It was Jenny's report on the behavior patterns of the alien primates. "It'd be great if we could also find a dead one so we can autopsy it."

"I'll let the others know to keep a look out for alien ape corpses. Maybe we can try Ebay." Her tone was as dry as the toast she'd eaten for breakfast. She hoped he noticed it too. Score one for her if he did.

"Good. Now!" Jason leaned forward to look her in the eye with a serious expression on his face. "This 'British Import' -- what do you think?"

She cocked her head and regarded him thoughtfully. It was a legitimate question. Jason had received a phone call from the Department of Defense a few days ago to inform him that, no matter how much he protested, a former UK Torchwood employee would be arriving later that week to join the Bluemont team. The Institute had been attempting for a while now to re-establish relations with its various branches and had, after careful consideration chosen Jason's branch as a sort of test subject to see if inter-branch cooperation was feasible. The 'Import' (as Jason had all ready dubbed the new staff member) was also going to be evaluating the base and its staff to see what sorts of changes might be made in order to improve the overall performance.

It was a slap in the man's face. Jason had taken on his role as team leader with the understanding that he was to run the base and its staff as he saw fit. He made the rules, he chose the people who worked for him; he was the one who made the tough choices. No one made any decision about Torchwood Bluemont without going through Jason Monroe first. At least not if they wanted to get away unscathed. Even UNIT, the British military agency that protected from aliens, didn't dare go behind his back (Not after the one time they had tried, that is. That general was still afraid to call Bluemont himself.).

The matter of the 'British Import' was a touchy subject with the entire team. None of the others were happy about it either. They all worked well together. Throwing in a stranger who they knew nothing about could lead to all kinds of problems. Jenny knew that Monroe hated being giving complete freedom to run the base as he saw fit only to then have someone forced onto him.

"I think," she started slowly. "That as we have no choice, not if we want that budget renewal to go through, we should at least attempt to be civil, if not nice to this 'British Import'." She settled herself more comfortably in her chair. "What do we know about this person?" she asked as she began to (once again) arrange the reports on the desk. She hated feeling so tense; she needed to keep her hands busy at least.

"Only that he, or she, worked at a Torchwood base for a few years and is something of an expert on Rifts and how a special ops agency should be run." His temper was just barely under control; he needed to stay focused and busy. If he didn't, he was likely to explode. He set down the report and reached for his coffee. It had gone cold while they had talked. The coffee here was bland and oftentimes too weak to be called coffee but it was a waste of time to make trips to the convenience mart down the street so they had to make do with their Mr. Coffee maker. He made a face as he set the mug back down. "I've had Shelly set up a temporary residence for the 'Import' until he or she has the time to house hunt. We'll receive all of the files on this person _after_ they arrive, which I don't think I have to tell you pisses me off."

"Why?" she asked. That was unusual. What reason could there possibly be for such secrecy? It would make this entire transition so much easier to deal with if they at least had a glimpse at who the person was.

"Something about international security. Bullshit, I imagine, but bureaucracy always wins. We have to play nice and pick our battles when it comes to the Institute. Anyway, like you said, we need our budget renewed."

That they did. Her medical team needed more funding if they were to continue their medical research and care for Rift victims. Sometimes the Rift gave them humans from the past that had disappeared without a trace while other times they found past victims who had been taken to other planets and came back damaged. Torchwood Bluemont had a large facility set up with the sole purpose being to try to rehabilitate these victims whenever possible. Or to make them as comfortable as they could when rehabilitation was not an option.

"Well, we might as well make the most of it then."

Jason scoffed and leaned back.

"Our 'Import' will be arriving next Monday afternoon. Sam's going to be playing chauffeur. I'm sure you can tell by the tone of my voice just how thrilled he was when I assigned the task to him."

Sam was Second in Command as well as a field agent. He had once worked for the F.B.I. before Jason personally recruited him to Torchwood. He hated anything that kept him out of the field. He had a lot of pent up agression and the best way for him to relieve it was to be out there where the action was. Jason had never had a reason in the six years they'd worked together to deny the other man the privilege.

"Have they at least sent a picture so that Sam can identify him?"

"No," Jason replied as he leafed through a report. "We have to assume that the 'Import' will be able to identify Sam so we'll see how long it takes before Sam goes bonkers."

She stood and gathered up the reports to take to the Archival room to be filed. "And once we meet him or her, you can stop calling them 'Import'."

"You just have to take away my fun, don'tcha?" he asked with a grin. He was starting to get into a better frame of mind at least. That was a good thing.

"Asshole."

"You know it."

~_~_~

_June 3, 2014. Tuesday morning._

Torchwood Bluemont was hidden beneath an office building that was set up to look like a research center. All that the outside world could see were several generic chairs and low tables. A desk was near the locked door that led down below. A girl sat at the desk typing away at the computer as he came in. She was a plump young girl in her early twenties with a pretty round face and dark curls. She was both a researcher and an Archivist as well as a very cheerful person. Especially first thing in the morning. So much pep before noon should be outlawed, in his opinion.

"Good morning, Jason!" Shelly squealed as she bounced up from her desk "I started the coffee maker. Sheriff Johnson called; I took a message." She slapped a post-it to his chest. "And here's your morning mail." She handed him several envelopes and a package along with her bright smile.

Too much pep. Maybe she could bottle it and sell it. She'd make a fortune and put the drug dealers out of business.

"Thanks. Anything interesting yet?" Jason asked as he sifted through the pieces of postal delight. There were the usual items: reports on criminal activity compiled by the local police that may or may not be related to extra-terrestrial activity, requests for this or that piece of technology from another base and invitations to this or that fundraiser from the city council. The package was of interest as it contained no return address and was wrapped in plain brown paper with only the words "For Monroe, J.'s eyes only" typed across the front. That meant it was from one of his government contacts. Most likely that guy from the C.I.A. who had been helping them investigate some amateur alien hunters.

"Nope. Unless you count Sam being late for work as interesting."

"Again? Wonder what they were making up over this time…"

Sam and his live-in girlfriend fought like cats and dogs so much of the time that it was a wonder they hadn't killed each other yet. They probably spent more time making up than not.

Shelly giggled and went back to her desk.

Shelly was someone he had recruited the moment he met her. Aliens had devastated her family and he had seen the passion buring in her at the thought of preventing more sorrow like her own. He had not once considered her too young or naive for the job. At first she had been afraid to fire a gun but now she would lock and load without hesitation. She used her passion and gentleness to keep her (and everyone else) grounded. Her ability to find good in everyone was also an asset to the rest of the team. Shelly was one of those people who could make everyone laugh even when they'd had a bad day. Her good mood was always infectious and more than welcome. She was a vital part of the team.

Jason shook his head and took out his keys, letting himself through the inner door. He walked through the maze of corridors that led into Torchwood Bluemont. As he walked he looked around at his pride and joy.

The Torchwood Tower had been in a large multi-storied office building in London. Jason had been suitably impressed at the expensive looking facility. As a result his own base had disappointed him at first. Torchwood Bluemont had been built beneath a city block where several bomb shelters had been abandoned. It was a two level facility and tricky to navigate if one did not know the way around. There were two entrances; the first was through the research center and the second was down the block through a door in an alley between a grocery store and a used bookstore. Almost immediately after taking over Bluemont he had come to love the earthy feel of the base. The bomb shelter foundations had been reinforced using alien technology. The walls were several feet thick and were soundproof to the world above. Like so many of the Torchwood bases there were cells to keep alien specimens as well as archives filled with technology and reports to help in their mission to defend the Earth.

Unlike many of the other Torchwood bases Jason Monroe had a large staff (at least when one compared the size of his base to that of the others).

He had four medical officers, three researchers/archivists, two computer and technology experts and three field agents. All of his staff were trained in weapons use and had field experience. He did not allow any one of his people to not be trained in the field; there were occurrences when one of his field agents had been incapacitated and he needed an extra set of hands. He worked differently from the other Torchwood leaders because he forced himself to learn his staff's weaknesses and worked with them to make them stronger. He knew that his base only functioned so efficiently because they worked together as a team. They were like a puzzle that used all of the pieces.

And now some 'British Import' was about to come crashing through the roof and into their laps.

He scowled and quickened his pace. He needed caffeine. Or a gun to the head. Caffeine would be less messy and involve no paperwork.

Once in the base he headed for the coffee station. It was rather clinical and drab, much like the brew it produced. A rolling cart with an old diner style coffee maker (three hot pads, lots of buttons and clunky design) and a selection of powdered, non-dairy creamers and other coffee fixings was sat next to a stack of mugs and utensils. They could have sprung a little for a better machine but as none of them were very good at making coffee there was little point. No matter how fancy the machine, if the person using it was terrible at making coffee then the coffee would still taste bad. They had tried every kind of coffee they could get their hands on, they'd even splurged on a grinder to grind the beans themselves, and it still tasted like the crap they served in hospitals.

Jason liked his coffee dark and strong. He had practically been born with a coffee cup in his hand. He was half Greek on his father's side and he had grown up with his father brewing a pot of strong coffee over a flame. He had enjoyed listening as his father told the future while looking at the wet powdered grinds at the bottom of the cup. He had started drinking coffee at a young age and had rarely found anyone who could make it as good as his father. When he had trained at the Torchwood Tower from 2002 to 2004 he had once had a cup of coffee that was unlike any other. He only wished he could remember the person who had made it. He'd never had a cup of coffee anywhere near as good as that since.

With a shake of his head at the turn of his thoughts, Jason fixed himself a cup of bitter, yet very weak, coffee and walked into his office.

He hadn't slept much the night before. He'd had that dream again. The dream where he had a lover that was, like that single cup of coffee, unlike any other. He could never see his lover's face, but he knew that it was a man. The dream was so vivid at times that it felt real. He would wake up and think that he had actually touched the smooth skin and kissed the parted lips. The short hair was soft beneath his dream fingers and the act of copulation was always so intense he was in need of a shower as soon as he woke up.

It was an erotic, invigorating dream. He had been dreaming it since returning from London ten years previous. He just wished he knew the reason why.

Before his divorce from Kate he had never even considered sleeping with another man. He was far from prejudiced against same-sex couples. As far as he was concerned, if everyone involved was happy then that was fine with him.

After his divorce he had gone a little crazy and had walked right into a gay bar and took home the most _flaming_ guy there was. It had been hot. The next night he had gone home with a young woman and had enjoyed it just as much. He was able to see the beauty that both men and women possessed. Sex was sex, no matter the genders of both partners. There was good sex and bad sex with both genders. He didn't label himself 'bisexual' as he didn't like labels at all. Instead he considered himself open-minded. So long as his partners didn't want more than sex then he would continue to sleep with them. When he went to London he had decided to be celibate for the duration so that he could focus on his training. He understood that his new career would be very different and more stressful than his other jobs had been. He did not need the distraction of sex to keep him from being the best Torchwood leader he could be.

Perhaps that was why he dreamed of a sensual lover every week. Maybe it was his mind's way of compensating for the lack of sex he'd experienced during that time of his life.

Whatever it was, Jason put it out of his mind. When he was home alone he would think more of it. Now though he was at work. He was very good at separating work and personal time.

As he settled behind his chair he put his faceless dream lover out of his mind.

~_~_~

_June 3, 2014. Tuesday evening._

Jason sat in his office typing up a report on the increasing Rift activity. The Department of Defense was growing concerned over the increase but as of yet there was no explanation. If the Cardiff base were still active, he would have consulted the team there. Torchwood Cardiff had been up and running for far longer than Bluemont and the Rift there had been studied in far more detail. Cardiff was the ultimate in Rift expertise. Too damn bad that there was no Torchwood base in Cardiff anymore.

"Jason."

At the sound of a female voice he looked up from his work.

"Miranda."

Had he wanted, he could have probably convinced Miranda to close the door and take his mind off the problems he had concerning the Rift and staff addition. She had an athletic body and wore her dark hair in a short style that took a minimum amount of time and maintenance. Her oval shaped face was pretty and she wore almost no make-up. She would probably be fun in the sack. But Jason had a firm rule for himself; no matter how attractive someone was, if they were on his team or even just worked for Torchwood he avoided the complications of sex with coworkers. There was only one exception to this and yet as she wanted the same thing as him (straightforward and simply sex) it was not an issue. He had seen too many people ruin their careers and lives by getting intimate with coworkers and he would not allow himself to follow that same path. Since the downfall of his marriage he had chosen career over romance.

It didn't mean that he couldn't look though.

Miranda was in charge of security as well as a field agent. It was her responsibility to see to it that the base was kept hidden from the outside world as well as to assess how dangerous a situation was before they found themselves knee-deep in it. The tall, athletic woman was very good at her job. She too was a former police officer. She had trained and served for a several years as a Texas Ranger before her recruitment to Torchwood. Her initial post had been the Texas branch but through negotiation Jason had been able to secure her a place at Bluemont. It was a decision he had never regretted.

"Monday's the big day," Miranda said as she stepped into his office. "The 'Import' will be arriving in the afternoon."

"I'm well aware of that fact," Jason said with a scowl. Like he needed to be reminded of how he had suddenly gone from having total control to a very limited range.

"So, what are we going to do?" Miranda asked as she leaned against the desk. "I mean, you always said that twelve people plus you was enough. You said that too many people only increases the chances that someone will make a mistake that could destroy the world. That thirteen was a lucky number."

"I'm not getting rid of anyone, if that's what you're worried about," he assured her. "Our new friend will have to adapt to working with us. Besides, it'll help lighten the load a bit."

"What department will the 'Import' be in?"

He really should have felt bad at having started calling the new arrival 'Import' but it was kind of funny that the former Ranger was using the term. She was not a happy person. She didn't want to have to train a new field agent. She didn't want anyone mucking up her security procedures.

"I don't know. Once they arrive, we'll figure it out. And I'll field train myself."

A look of relief crossed her face. That was an immense load off of her mind. Field training was required at Bluemont and not everyone learned quickly.

"Thanks," she said.

She was swamped with work as it was. They all were. Ever since the Institute had lost the Cardiff, Wales, U.K. base a few years ago the rest of the Institute had been on edge. Miranda had still been in Texas when the children all over the world had spoken as one. She, like those at Bluemont, had watched from a distance as the world was thrown into chaos. It was something she would never be able to forget.

Jason smiled and waved a report at her.

"Since you're here, have a seat and we'll go over your write-up of the shoplifting alien from the other day."

Once he was able to return to his own work Jason found himself not wanting to do it anymore. He shut down his computer and headed out of his office. He looked out at the rest of the group.

Jenny was sitting at her desk working on a report. Her three junior medical officers -- Dan, Shaina and Tamara -- were busy performing their nightly sterilizing of the medical bay. Susan and Bobby were working with Miranda on the new upgrade of the security systems. Susan was an expert hacker and Bobby had built his first computer by himself when he was only eleven. Shelly and the other two Archivists, Shantaye and Chris were filing away the last of the day's paperwork. Sam and Erin were nowhere to be seen. The two field agents were probably on the firing range brushing up on their skills.

His team was something he took great pride in. He had started out with only Chris, Jenny and two other people. He had quickly learned what traits were needed to be a Torchwood agent and he had worked himself to death to bring the others up to his level. There had been personnel changes over the years until a few years ago. Shelly and Shaina had joined the Bluemont team in 2011. His team was completed when the girls had become a part of it.

"All right ya'll!" He grinned as the native West Virginians gave him dirty looks. He loved teasing them about their accents. "I say we all head on home. Agree or disagree?"

"Agree!" Sam shouted as he and Erin bounded into the room. "My girl will be so glad! Hardly seen her all week."

"Sam," Jenny scolded as she rolled her eyes. "It's only Tuesday!"

"Well, I ain't getting' any younger," Sam protested as he grabbed his jacket.

"You're the same age as me," Jason said. "And I feel like I'm twenty."

"That's because you have them there Greek genes!" Sam said with a lopsided grin.

"And you wonder why I call you a redneck…" Erin said with a sigh.

Sam turned his grin at her and then looked at Jason.

"So, tomorrow?"

"Yes. Out, all of you."

"Yes sir!"

No one had to be told twice.

~_~_~

Closing the door to his black convertible, Jason walked up the driveway to his house. He lived only a few minutes' drive from the base in a nice looking middle class neighborhood. The house was made of red brick and had three bedrooms, an office, a spacious kitchen, two bathrooms, large living room and a full-sized basement and a two-car garage.

It was too big for a bachelor who lived alone but he had his reasons for buying the house when he accepted the post. He had fallen in love with the kitchen.

He tossed his leather jacket on the couch as he strode into the house. Making a beeline for the kitchen he tried to decide what to make for dinner. It was rare that he got to cook during the week so now that he had the chance he was going to take it.

Opening the refrigerator he spied an unopened package of crumpets. He frowned. It had happened again. For some reason unknown to him he often ended up buying crumpets at the store yet he never ate them. In fact, he found them too bland. This had been going on ever since he had returned to the states. At first it had only happened after the really stressful days and he had chocked it up to his new job. After the events of 2009 and the destruction of Torchwood Three Jason found himself purchasing the snack almost every week. It was bizarre.

He shook his head and closed the refrigerator door. Pasta. It was quick, easy and filling. He filled a saucepan with water and grabbed the container of spaghetti noodles from the cupboard. He lost his grip on the container and it slipped from his hand. The sound of noodles scattering on the floor made him freeze.

_Laughter as the noodles hit the floor, scattering everywhere. Guilt as tears filled bright blue eyes. The blue eyes gazed at him. The eyes were filled with embarassment. His lover was useless in the kitchen but the attempts to help were endearing to the point that Jason just wanted to kiss those pouting lips._

_"It's okay, Baby. I'll clean it up."_

Jason frowned as he reached for the broom. Sometimes he got these little flashes of images. All he could ever make out were the eyes and the lips. He only ever heard his own voice, not that of the other. He knew deep down that the flashes were connected to the dreams of a faceless lover. They were the same person. It was almost as if he had forgotten someone and his mind was trying to compensate for the loss. But if they were memories, he didn't know where they came from or what they meant. All he knew was that they too had started after leaving London and increased since the 456.

Post-traumatic stress. That was probably what doctors would say. Everyone who had worked for the Institute during the Battle of Canary Wharf or the 456 incident had been deeply affected so perhaps it wasn't too far of a stretch to think that his dreams, the flashes and the crumpets were somehow connected to it all.

Jason tossed the noodles into the trashcan and sighed. Suddenly he wasn't very hungry.

~_~_~

_June 6, 2014. Friday evening._

They managed to capture one of the alien apes. Jenny surmised that they had to be sentient because it was wearing some sort of clothes, almost like a uniform. Either that or it had been part of a collection, like a zoo, and it was domesticated enough to allow the clothes. Capturing it hadn't been easy; a homeless man had died before they were able to sedate the creature. The body was in the morgue until they could decide what to do with it. Jason didn't lock all Torchwood related bodies up in a morgue like Hartman would have done. They would try to learn the man's name (or give him one if they couldn't) and then bury him in the cemetary that they had for Rift and alien victims.

For now though, they were concentrating on the strange alien ape.

They placed it in a cage down in the basement next to a small dog-like creature with six legs. All they knew about it was that it ate meat and its own feces. They weren't even sure if it was male, female or some third alien gender. There was no way to know if it was a typical specimen of the species or if it was an genetic anomaly.

Jason stood with Jenny and Dan in front of one of the cage. He had agreed to keep it for observation so long as they could do so without anyone getting hurt. Unfortunately the ape thing was more volatile than anticipated so their research had been limited to just watching the creature and taking notes. Jenny was going to work out a series of tests to try to learn what they could without harming the creature or endangering themselves in the process. Until then, this was it.

"Maybe we could sedate it again," Dan suggested. "We could slip it into its' food?"

"But we don't know how much it can handle," Jenny protested. "Or if it has immunities or lack of; we could end up killing it. Don't say it Jason!" She raised her hand in warning. She knew what he was thinking. Sometimes his sense of humor was too black for her to deal with. Especially today. She had been far too busy trying to get ready for tomorrow. First impressions were important, even if she was not looking forward to their guest.

"What? A corpse would tell us a lot!" Jason smirked at her before turned back to the creature. He didn't want to kill it, he was merely joking. He didn't want to kill the creature unless it became necessary. Yes, an autopsy would tell them a great deal about it but he was not the sort to kill anything unless he had to. He was not Yvonne Hartman.

"Jason…" Jenny began to chide him before she realized it was probably a good thing that he was capable of goofing off. Tomorrow their new teammate arrived. Best to let him be childish now while he still could. Who knew what sort of mood he'd be in tomorrow?

Jason looked at the creature and frowned. He had met several aliens since joining Torchwood but this one was by far the most primitive.

"Okay, I suggest that we all pack up and go home. Tomorrow's a big day so we should all get plenty of rest."

He turned away from the creature. The way it stared at him creeped him out.

Maybe the 'Import' would also be creeped out by it.

~_~_~

_June 9, 2014. Monday morning._

Morning came far too soon for Jason Monroe. As he rolled out of bed he noticed the calendar that hung on the wall. _Monday_. Today was the day that Jason had been dreading since the phone call two weeks ago. Today was the day that some haughty, stiff-lipped 'British Import' would saunter in through the doors of the Torchwood Bluemont base and wreak havoc in their lives.

Shit.

He got himself ready and and managed to eat some cereal before he headed out the door. He climbed inside his black convertible and drove to the base. He punched in his security code and made his way into the faux lobby.

He wasn't ready for this. After nearly ten years of doing things his way, he so wasn't ready to be told by some little prick that he wasn't doing his job right.

"Hey Jason!" Shelly chirped. "Perfect timing! Sam's on the way to the airport -- complain, complain! That's all he does -- and Jenny made some cookies but you can't have them yet!" She handed him, as she did every morning, his mail with that bright smile.

"Cookies?" Jason shook his head at the puzzlement that females were. He couldn't understand why women thought that home baked goods were the way to go to welcome people. What was wrong with a good, firm handshake? That had always worked for him, no matter who he was dealing with. Even Kate had used baked goods to make a good impression on others. Only she couldn't stand the thought of using a kitchen for its intended purpose and so had always relied on a bakery not far from her house.

"Yep! She wanted to make something British but couldn't find anything in her cookbook so she made peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies instead. Everyone in the world likes peanut butter and chocolate chip!"

"Riiight." She really was too hyper. "I just know that I'll be glad when this creep is gone."

"I just know that I wanna know if it's a cute guy!" Shelly giggled. "Though a girl would be nice too. I bet she'd wear great clothes! British fashion is _so_ hot!"

And she would know. She loved to read through the UK version of various magazines, such as Cosmo. In fact, he could see a large stack balance precariously on the edge of her desk. The sad thing about it was that this particular stack had been purchased just in the last few days. Probably a way for Shelley to gear up to ask their new team mate some questions. Women were an entirely different species.

"I'll be in my office banging my head against the wall if you need me. Otherwise call me when Sam gets back."

~_~_~

When Sam called it was nearly noon. The plane had been delayed and so his Second in Command felt the need to voice his annoyance and try to weasel out of the errand. Jason simply told him to hang tight, the plane would be there soon and he should enjoy the reprieve while he could. After all, who knew how long it would be before the Rift threw something nasty at them and they got no sleep for three days? Sam had huffed and puffed and then hung up.

Now Jason was in the middle of a briefing with Jenny and her staff when they were interrupted by a crackle of static coming from the intercom.

::Yo, Jason!::

Jason reached out and touched the receive button on the comm. panel on the table. "I take it Sam's back, Miranda?" _No, say no. Please say no._

::Yep. The car's intact. We've made fresh coffee. I finished that report for you. Oh, and Shelly's having kittens. Haven't seen her this excited since that Spice Girls reunion last year.::

"Joy. We'll be up in a minute." He switched off the intercom and stood. He flexed his muscles and rolled his shoulders in an attempt to ready himself. He took a deep breath and walked out the door, the others right behind him. He really wasn't ready.

He tried to think of happy thoughts. If only he could be more like Shelly. No doubt she would end up being best friends with this person within a week. Jason only hoped that he could manage to not strangle anyone. That wasn't really good for team morale, after all.

They walked through the door that led to the main work area. He pulled off his leather jacket and draped it over a vacant chair. He then looked around the large room.

The first thing that he noticed was the plate of cookies on the coffee table. The second thing that caught his eye was the very expensive black trench coat draped over the back of a chair. A black leather messenger back sat on the seat of the same chair as if it had been forgotten. Two medium sized suitcases sat next to the chair. He moved his eyes slowly towards the sound of voices. There they were, at the coffee station talking up a storm. Well, Shelly was talking; the others were listening as she fired questions and offered up some pop culture facts. And damned if the 'Import' wasn't listening attentively.

That was when Jason noticed the person himself.

_Oh. My. God._

He could not help but stare at the trim, slender figure that was faced away from him. A dark purple shirt showed off a toned back. A coordinating jacket was draped carefully from a long, lean arm. The long legs were made to look even longer with a pair of perfectly tailored dark gray pants. The black shoes had probably cost more than his entire collection of Star Trek Dvds (every series, every season, _every_ _single movie_).

His breath caught as he took in the fair skin and the dark wavy hair. He allowed himself the pleasure of staring unabashed at the firm, tight looking ass that was on display before him. The 'Import' actually had an _ass_. There was just enough roundness to make Jason's thoughts turn x-rated. It was a very _nice_ ass. It was the kind of ass that simply _begged_ for Jason to reach for with his hands, grab a hold of hold and squeeze. The only thing that stopped him from sending the others home and jumping the gorgeous, tight body was his personal rule against work hookups. Otherwise the young man wouldn't stand a chance.

The young man became aware of Jason's intense gaze and slowly turned around. The face was exquisite; the kind he would love to stare at forever. A high forehead, slight upturned nose and slightly full lips adorned the slightly rounded face. There were slight circles just beneath the dark blue eyes and the cheekbones were just high enough to take a few years off. He barely noticed the scar on the right cheek, it was so faded. When he did notice it seemed almost out of place, as if he knew it didn't belong there.

Jason shook himself and he stepped forward to greet his guest. He had to make himself remember to breathe; the 'Import' was _that_ beautiful. Jason had always had a good eye for finding the most attractive people and his attention was most certainly caught by the figure before him. Too damn bad that they were going to work together. (But then, what was one more exception?)

He stretched out his hand in greeting. The hand that met his was soft and warm. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning at the mere touch of the other's skin. If he weren't careful he'd be breaking his own rule by the end of the day. It had only been a few days since his last hookup; he surely couldn't be that horny? But then again, rarely had he been captivated by someone as he had by this person. He cleared his throat and spoke as confidently as he could.

"Welcome to Torchwood Bluemont. I'm Jason Monroe."

Sharp, bright eyes pierced right through him.

The soft looking lips parted, letting out a voice that bore a soft lilting accent.

"Jones. Ianto Jones."

Jason stared at those piercing blue eyes in shock.

Impossible.

Ianto Jones had died over five years ago. He knew that for a fact. All of the North American bases had received reports on the 456 and Torchwood Three. He had read the documents and had shaken his head at the stupidity of Torchwood UK. The base had been completely destroyed. Harkness had disappeared and Cooper had 'retired' from the Institute. Jones had been killed at the Thames House when he had helped in an attempt to stop the 456 from taking the children. The alien had released an air borne virus into the building killing nearly everyone inside.

Ianto Jones could not be alive. Ianto Jones was dead. Not among the living.

It was impossible.

What the _hell_?


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: First Impressions

Ianto Jones stood looking at the alien. It stared back for a moment then growled at him. Ianto Jones took a step closer.

"I wouldn't get too close," Jenny said. "It's carnivorous. And violent. We caught it as it was attacking a homeless man a couple nights ago. The poor man didn't survive."

Ianto smiled a dry smile at her and moved forward another step.

"Mr. Jones," Jason said annoyed. "She's right. It's dangerous. It's all ready tried to bust through the cage. So unless you want to lose a hand, stay back." He held a Torchwood-issued stun stick in his hand in case.

"Perhaps if you knew what it is you're dealing with, you would be more apt to study it properly."

It was a well-known fact that many people found British accents sexy. Normally Jason could agree with that sentiment. Hell, he found all accents sexy, even the West Virginia _twang_ that he was buffeted with on a daily basis. However when Ianto spoke it was with an air of superiority and distaste. It was as if he was looking down his adorable upturned nose at them. It was that arrogance that was so annoying. Dammit, it was sexy too. And strangely familiar.

"Oh? And what exactly have we got then," Sam asked in a tone filled with loathing. He had not been happy to have to pick up the new guy and was ready to bite someone's head off. It didn't help any that Ianto Jones was acting like he considered himself better than them.

"It's a Weevil."

"A what?"

Ianto smiled a little at Sam. "It's called a Weevil."

He returned his attention to the cage. He carefully raised a hand and placed it on the thick metal bars. The Weevil snarled and rushed towards him. Jason lifted up the stun-stick. Before he could switch it on, it staggered back and swung its head in an agitated manner. It did not attempt to attack again. Instead it leveled an angry gaze at its oppressor.

"What did you do?" Jenny demanded; unable to keep the concern for out of her voice. Alien or human, she was a doctor, after all.

"Weevil spray." He held up a small spray bottle of translucent fluid. "It's specially formulated by Torchwood Cardiff. One spray or two and Weevils are temporarily paralyzed." Ianto pocketed the small bottle and returned his attention to the Weevil. It looked at him in disdain.

"Oh now, don't give me that look," he spoke softly, amused by the creature. "It's not my fault that you've been brought here." He crouched down and tilted his head slightly. Jason couldn't stop himself from watching as the ass he'd admired upstairs was spread out before him. So as not to frighten the Weevil, Ianto reached slowly into his breast pocket and produced a candy bar.

"What are you doing?" Jason demanded. Weevil spray, okay. He could deal with that. But what the hell was candy going to do? Then again, maybe Jones was diabetic or something.

"Chocolate. Preferably dark." Ianto held up the candy for them to see. "It's my secret weapon when dealing with aliens and dinosaurs. You'd be surprised at how well it works. Even primitive aliens can appreciate the finer things that Earth has to offer." He began to unwrap the candy bar. "Hershey isn't my first choice but it'll do." He tossed the chocolate into the cage and they all watched as the Weevil, its' nostrils flaring, crept towards it.

Jason's annoyance flared as he saw the Weevil eagerly devour the candy bar. The brat would have to be right, wouldn't he?

Ianto stood, which greatly disappointed Jason, and regarded the Weevil for a moment. "I think I'll call you Bridget." He smiled an ironic smile but none of them would understand the meaning behind the name.

"You named it?" Miranda said. Surprise colored her face and her voice.

"At Torchwood III we named all of the aliens that we had to care for. Our resident Weevil was called Janet and our Pterodactyl was Myfanwy."

It was clear that he considered this practice perfectly normal. Even if they did find it strange.

"Right, anyway." Jason turned towards the stairs. "I think it's time that we all had a little chat. Senior officers, my office."

~_~_~

In Jason's office they all sat around the desk. Except for Ianto Jones. He held a cup of weak coffee and was looking around at the various pictures on the walls. It was driving Jason crazy.

Miranda sat to Jason's left with her PDA in her hand. In addition to security she also was the official note taker for the team. Every single thing that was done or seen was written down and filed away in the Archives. There was nothing too trivial to ignore, not in an organization like Torchwood.

Taking a deep breath, Jason decided it was time to get started.

"Okay Mr. Jones, why don't you start at the beginning?"

Ianto turned from the bookcase and smiled a bit. "Perhaps it would be better if you simply asked me whatever you want to know. There are a million questions on your face."

Jason narrowed his dark eyes and scowled. "Fine. I've read the official reports. They say that you're dead. In fact, you've been dead for over five years. How about you explain that?

Ianto Jones smiled that damned smile at him. It was such a sexy smile. It made him feel things that he hadn't allowed himself to feel for a long time. He tried in vain to think of something to take his mind off that familiar smile.

"Hm, somehow I knew that was going to be your first query. How… predictable." Ianto calmly sat himself in the one vacant chair and looked up. His eyes locked with Jason's; it was as if they were the only two in the room. It was suddenly too warm in there for Jason.

"In 2009 aliens known by the British government as the 456 demanded that the people of Earth give up a large number of children. The government and UNIT, instead of asking us for help, destroyed Torchwood and tried to lock us up like criminals. Instead we managed to stay hidden and get the Torchwood servers back up and running. The government had agreed to the aliens' terms but we were not about to let that happen. All of us had children in our lives; to not fight for them, and the rest of the children, was simply unthinkable."

He took a sip from his mug before continuing.

"We devised a plan to buy Earth more time. Captain Harkness and I went to the Thames House where the alien representative was and attempted to intimidate. Unfortunately the 456 had produced an air borne virus. They sealed the Thames House and released it into the air ducts. My lungs cease to function and the last thing I remembered was the 456 telling Captain Harkness that the children would be taken."

"Yeah," Sam said with an eye roll. "We've read the reports. Tell us how you're alive when you died."

"I'm alive because I _didn't_ die. Although I lost consciousness only minutes after being exposed to the virus it actually takes a few hours for the full effects of the virus to work. Unfortunately the virus was at the point in my system that it made me appear dead. All of my vitals showed that I had indeed died. If there was a way to vent the building, the virus would have been dispelled and possibly we all might have been saved. As it was, all of those infected, save myself did end up dying. While some did die from the virus itself, most died from suffocation or smoke inhalation as they were either buried or cremated to keep the virus contained. At Torchwood Three the bodies of all Torchwood operatives were stored in a cryogenic morgue. The base was gone so my body was frozen and placed in a Torchwood mortuary in London. Two and a half years later, UNIT removed my body from the coffin and took me to one of their bases. They had received an anonymous tip that I was not dead. The process of freezing my body had slowed down the virus. I was caught between life and death."

"What happened then?"

Ianto's eyes darkened. He looked away, his gaze resting on a picture that sat on the desk. It showed Jason with his children.

"My body was alive but my brain had been damaged. Between the virus and the freezing process there was doubt that I would survive. But I did." He picked up the picture and studied it carefully. A look flashed across his otherwise expressionless face.

"For almost half a year UNIT doctors ran a whole battery of tests to try to discover if I was salvageable. I was in a coma-like state all that time. All I was aware of was the darkness." His eyes turned inward for a moment before he forced himself to go on. "They kept me hooked up on life support machines as my brain was barely working. They were about to pronounce me beyond repair and disconnect the machines when all of a sudden I woke up screaming. I screamed until my throat had begun to bleed. They had no choice but to sedate me and use restraints to keep me from harming myself. It took them several weeks to get me to understand that I was alive and that they were only trying to help. I endured seemingly endless physical therapy and training sessions. I had to be retaught everything. I had to relearn how to walk and talk. I couldn't even lift a spoon or dress myself. My brain was working but it was… wrong. I wasn't even aware at times of where or who I was." He set the family picture back down.

"A living death," Jenny said. She folded her arms tightly and frowned. Sometimes the brain just refused to work properly. No matter how advanced technology became, she doubted that the human brain would ever be truly understood. She didn't want to even think about how she would have reacted of she had woken up to that sort of existence. She felt a wave of sympathy for the younger man.

"And I have it on good authority that a living death is not as fun as it might seem." Ianto smiled dryly at her.

"Okay, we get that life was tough," Miranda said. "But after you were rehabbed, what happened? Why not get back with Harkness and rebuild the base?"

"Yeah," Sam piped in. "Why didn't you return to Torchwood Three?"

"It was destroyed. There's nothing left." Ianto stated in a flat voice.

"But you could have rebuilt," Jason said. It didn't make sense. The Rift was still there, as was the foundation of the base itself. A rebuild was completely do-able.

"No." Ianto cradled his mug close to him, his eyes filled with an emptiness that was practically tangible. "There was nothing left to rebuild. All of the equipment was destroyed. The server was all that remained and much of the programming had been lost when Jack made his final movement against the 456. Gwen and Rhys were happy without the complications of aliens and Jack…" He closed his eyes. "_Captain_ Jack Harkness had left. He left us. There's nothing left for me in Cardiff."

He sipped at his coffee and grimaced at the bitter taste. He set the mug down and looked back at Jason, his eyes suddenly bright.

"I am no longer just the Tea Boy or the Archivist anymore. I now have a new purpose."

"And that purpose is what, exactly?"

Ianto smirked and lifted his eyes to meet Jason's. In those eyes Jason felt he could drown.

"I've been made Second in Command of Torchwood Bluemont."

"What the fuck?" Sam jumped up angrily.

"Sit down," Jason said in an attempt to keep the situation under control.

"No! Look Import, you don't just strut in here looking, tell us a sob story and just expect us to--"

"I said SIT DOWN."

Jason Monroe was the father of four children, aged 14 to 25. His ex-wife, Kate, was in many ways a child herself. Every single week he received at least three phone calls or e-mails which involved him having to settle an argument or two. He was an expert on dealing with temper tantrums. And Sam was an expert on throwing them. Sam glowered at Ianto but sat back down, albeit reluctantly.

Jason took a deep breath to calm himself. He could understand Sam's outrage; to be replaced by someone younger was an insult to all of his hard work. It had not been easy to recruit Sam as he had enjoyed his work as an F.B.I. agent far too much. It had been his intent to get as high in the ranks as he possibly could. The career-driven man had only agreed to join Torchwood after accompanying Jason on a field mission. The adrenaline rush coupled with the realization that there was something bigger than humans out there had drawn the other man in.

Now, at the age of 46 Sam was an integral member of the Bluemont team. He, like every other member, was a piece of the puzzle that kept them all going. The thought of someone other than Sam being Second to Jason was not a pleasant one.

"What do you mean you're my Second in Command?"

He made certain that his voice was quiet, with just a hint of a threat in it. Jones was here to evaluate the team and the base as a whole. It would not do to give him any reason to get rid of anyone.

"Just that."

There was amusement in Ianto Jones's eyes. His eyes never once left Jason's face. In fact, he did not even acknowledge Sam's outburst and apparent anger. Those eyes, so void of life, drew Jason in. Those eyes, filled with false emotions, called to Jason, begging him to drown himself within their depths.

Ianto Jones's eyes were so familiar to Jason that he could hardly concentrate.

It took everything he had to ignore the beautiful need in those eyes and focus on why Ianto Jones was a problem.

"I don't need a new Second in Command," he said coolly. He indicated Sam, who was seething. "Sam has worked for me for years. He does just fine."

He used the tone he used whenever Kate called him up asking for 'just a little favor', or when one of the kids or his staff had made a massive mistake and he was in full lecture mode. It was the sort of tone that parents and police were experts at using. The tone demanded one's full attention and respect, no questions asked. It was known as the 'I'm-Jason-Monroe-and-you-will-listen-to-me-or-else' tone. Even a certain UNIT general, a certain well-known American politician and a certain former famous talk show host responded in the appropriate manner when it was used on them. It had never failed him.

Until it was used on Ianto Jones.

Ianto raised one perfectly groomed eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. The corner of his pouty mouth quirked into an almost half-smile. The expression on his face could only be called patronizing. Or aggravating.

"Yes, his work and dedication is most admirable. Sam had indeed done 'just fine'. But that was before the future. 'Just fine' isn't good enough anymore. 'Just fine' isn't going to cut it. We need to go beyond 'just fine'."

He now fixed each of them with his steel-like gaze.

"In 2009 aliens tried, and nearly succeeded, to take a large number of the Earth's children. It was sheer luck and determination that saved not only the children but also the world. The 456 threatened to destroy everything if we refused their demands. Alien domination is something that is not just a faerytale. It is a real and serious threat."

He looked back at Jason.

"A very wise, very experienced person once said that the 21st century is when everything changes. We thought we were ready to handle anything that came at us. Torchwood Cardiff was destroyed because of arrogance and ignorance. The destruction did not happen when the 456 arrived. It happened over the course of its entire life. From the moment the base was set up and its staff trained, the destruction was inevitable. Torchwood is filled with some of the most intelligent, stupid individuals. Because of the mistakes of those before us, Torchwood Four has vanished and both Torchwoods One and Three were destroyed. Mistakes were made all around. Those mistakes will _not_ be repeated. Preparation is the key."

Standing, Ianto pulled on his suit jacket.

"Whether you like it or not, I am now Second in Command at Torchwood Bluemont. We all must help prepare the Earth's people for the inevitable. Humans are far too stupid to avoid planet wide domination. One day, aliens will come to our world and they will force us to be their slaves. However, Torchwood was established to help prepare us as much as possible so that we can ensure that generations after us _have_ a future. You have no choice but to accept my posting and authority."

"And if we choose _not_ to accept?" Sam demanded.

Jason was curious as well. He wanted to know exactly what sort of power Ianto Jones had over him.

"Then you will be replaced. None of us is more important than the future of the Earth."

He picked up and drained his mug of coffee, eyes still fixed firmly on Jason.

"Now then," he said. "I believe that you were to provide me with housing. If someone could direct me there, it would be most appreciated. I had a long journey and I'm in need of rest."

Directing a glare at Ianto, Jason turned to Jenny.

"Show him to the apartment. Then come back."

As she stood, Jenny could tell that Jason was about to explode. She knew that once she left, he would send the others back to work while he worked out his frustrations. He would wait for her to return so that he could discuss this situation with the senior staff before getting the rest involved.

"We'll take my car. It's just a few blocks away." Jenny then turned back to Jason. "He'll need a passcode to get back into the base."

"All ready taken care off. All I need is a shower and a bed."

Jason's lips tightened into the grimace while the vein at his temple throbbed in slowly simmering anger. If Jenny didn't get Ianto out of there soon she was most likely going to have to piece the man back together.

"Go, then," Jason snapped.

Ianto's eyes brightened a bit at the tone.

"I'll be in by 8 a.m.," he said as he walked to the door. He pulled it open and held it in a gentlemanly manner for Jenny to step through first. "The first thing I will look at is base security. Oh, and I'll take a look at your archives. Organization is something of a hobby of mine. My forté I suppose."

He turned to look back at them. "Wela i chi wedyn."*

Jason waited until they were out of sight before he stood and swept his arm across his desk. Sam and Miranda both jumped and backed away as the computer monitor and mugs were knocked off the desk and crashed onto the floor. The screen cracked ominously, as if it were a sign of what was to come.

"Damn. British. _Bastard_."

He'd known the man less than an hour and all ready Jason loathed the very air that Ianto Jones breathed.

It didn't help that he found the man so damned irresistible.

~_~_~

*"See you later."

~_~_~

Jenny parked her car and turned off the ignition. The drive to the apartment had passed in almost complete silence, with only the deejay on the radio talking. She cast a glance at the young man in the passenger seat and frowned. He looked listless, like he was a department store dummy. She thought back to what he had told them so far. He had been caught between life and death and had been practically brain dead for so long. What kind of effect would that have on a person's mind?

Ianto looked over at her and raised an eyebrow at her scrutiny.

"We're here," she said in an attempt to cover her embarrassment.

"At a grocer?"

"It's a safe house. Paid for by the Institute and provided by the U.S. government. It's not a four-star hotel but it's clean and comfortable. Shall we?"

They got out of the car and she popped open the trunk. Ianto lifted out the two suitcases and stepped out of her reach. She refrained from trying to help him; if he wanted to carry everything on his own then she would let him. Male pride was something of an enigma to her.

The apartment was situated above a small grocery store three blocks from the base. It was one of a dozen Torchwood safe houses within a thirty-mile radius. The U.S. government had set up an agency when Torchwood expanded to help the Institute's North American bases function. The Alien Invasion Prevention Agency (A.I.P.A.) consisted of over one hundred people whose sole purpose was to make the running of the Torchwoods more smooth and efficient. They provided all sorts of assistance; financial for the bases, medical for Rift victims, rehabilitation for misplaced aliens and time victims as well as medical and psychological assistance for Torchwood employees.

The safe houses had actually been Jason's idea. While in London he had seen and been angered by the way that Torchwood under Yvonne Hartman treated nonhumans. They were treated as criminals. He would not allow that attitude on his staff. Yes, there were many aliens who would invade and overtake at the drop of a hat but overall the aliens that came to Earth were either merely interested in the planet's cultures or lost and afraid. There was also the matter of humans from different time periods, both past and future, being pulled into the present by the Rift. They were victims who needed to be helped. Some of them were merely displaced from their own time while others were badly damaged, both physically and mentally.

Jason had designed the Torchwood safe house program as a means to help those who could survive on 21st century Earth. Many aliens could blend in with humans for their entire lives. Even humans from the 18th century could be educated enough to be able to live fulfilling lives in the present. The safe houses were set up to help with the rehab process. There was minimal decoration and almost no personalization. The safe houses were fresh starts for those who needed it. They also doubled as temporary shelter for aliens who needed a breather before heading back home.

This particular safe house had not been used in a few months. It was a spacious single room apartment with a large bathroom, ample storage and a large kitchen. The floor was hardwood except in the kitchen and bathroom, which was linoleum. The furnishings consisted of a full sized bed, a dresser, nightstand, couch and recliner, a coffee table and television stand and a small dining table and chairs in the kitchen area. The kitchen itself had the basic appliances; a coffee maker, blender, toaster oven and microwave. The refrigerator was small but more than big enough for one person.

Ianto set down the suitcases and his messenger bag. He slowly moved through the apartment and took in everything. The paint was new but the rug beneath his feet was well worn. The furniture was all mismatched and old yet sturdy and clean. The window blinds were dusty but worked. The place had a motel like feel to it; it was not meant for long-term residents.

"What do you think? Will this do?" Jenny asked as she watched him. His thoughts were practically visible. He was assessing the place very carefully. She wondered if he had expected something else, something better than this.

"It's adequate. I do have a question though."

"What?"

"How long can I stay here?" He pulled off his trench coat and folded it in half before laying it on the couch. "I know nothing about the area and I was not told whether or not I would be provided with permanent housing. Do I have to get my own place as soon as possible?"

Jenny frowned and thought it over before replying.

"Jason would be the one to ask. Normally people stay here for a few weeks at most but I'm sure he'll make an exception for you until you find something else."

His smile was amused as he looked at her.

"He doesn't like me. Why would he make an exception?"

"Because you're part of the team now."

"You mean because he's got no choice. He's stuck with me."

"I wasn't going to put it that way…"

"But it's the truth. He doesn't want me here. That's all right. I don't want me here either."

"Then why take the job?"

The smile was gone.

"I have no choice. My life is Torchwood now. There's nothing else for me."

He walked to the bathroom and peered inside.

"There are plenty of supplies here to get me started. I thank you for bringing me here but if you don't mind, I'm exhausted. I had a long trip and would like to take a nap."

She nodded. She could understand that. Traveling between time zones was difficult.

"The kitchen is stocked with food items and basic necessities. Enough for a couple of days. After that you'll want to go shopping. The store below has a decent selection to choose from." A thought occurred to her. "Oh, you probably don't have any money--"

"Actually," Ianto interrupted her. "An account has been set up for me. I have access to funds."

"Oh. All right. Well, if you need anything, just call." She pointed to a packet on the coffee table. "That's a welcome packet of local information as well as important telephone numbers. Torchwood's included, just look for the page marked 'Bluemont Genetics'."

"What's that?"

"It's the name of the building that the base is under. It's also the place we use to meet with the local police and others involved in investigations of Torchwood relations."

"Ah, I see. Cardiff used a Tourist office. I suppose that a genetics laboratory would draw fewer people inside on a rainy day. I often had to contend with people wanting to know how to get to the nearest shopping plaza while I was writing up reports on Weevils and Rift activity."

She smiled a bit at that.

"No one would willingly walk into a research building. Besides, to even get through the front door you need a set of keys. To get to the base below you need a passcode." She dangled her keys and smiled a little more. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Get some sleep. Jet lag will probably hit you tomorrow."

"Again, thank you," Ianto said as he walked her back to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Jones."

"Tomorrow, Doctor."

Jenny walked out the door and made her way to the stairs along the side of the building. She walked back to the curb where her car was parked and climbed inside.

Ianto Jones seemed like a nice enough person. It wasn't his fault that he had been tossed into their laps. If Torchwood Cardiff were still around then perhaps he would be back there. Then again, he'd seemed even more desolate when talking about Captain Harkness. Hm. The Torchwood Institute had kept records on all of its employees. There wasn't much on Harkness but she knew that he was something of a flirt and a heart breaker. He also didn't discriminate against genders. He was rather like Jason in that respect. And then a thought struck her.

_They were lovers. Oh my goodness. Ianto Jones and Captain Harkness were lovers._

That explained a big part of the emptiness. His lover had vanished, abandoned him. Ianto had clearly been quite attached to his lover to let it affect him so deeply that even after several years he was still upset.

_It must have been love._

Love was a powerful thing. It was more than just an emotion. She knew herself that love was something that could raise a person up or completely devastate them. For her it had made her a stronger, more confident person. Jason had become bitter and resentful. Who knew how it had affected Ianto Jones? She would have to watch him closely.

Captain Jack Harkness had broken a lot of hearts. She just hoped that Ianto's wasn't one of them.

~_~_~

Ianto watched from the window as Jenny drove away. He closed the dusty blinds and turned back to the apartment. He sat on the full-sized bed with his head in his hands. He couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears were finally released. He did not allow his emotions to come to the surface anymore. He would not let anyone see him cry. Long gone were the days when he allowed his emotions to betray him. The last time he had was when he had died.

That last memory of his life before had taught him a valuable lesson. Ianto had learned the hard way that he was meant for a life of solitude.

_"I love you."_

_"Don't."_

Echoes of the past whispered the words that had broken him so completely. What did that one little word mean? Did it mean that Jack had been just as scared and upset at Ianto's dying as Ianto had been? The look on Jack's face as he had said that word haunted him even now. The expression on his face told Ianto that he would be missed but the tone of his voice told Ianto that his love for the Immortal Captain would forever be unrequited.

So Ianto had choked on his next words.

_"Don't forget me…"_

_"Never could."_

_"In a thousand years' time you won't remember me…"_

_"Yes I will. I promise."_

Ah, but his Captain didn't do relationships. Everyone had known that. Gwen had warned him to be careful. The rest of the team had warned him to guard his heart, as Jack would only break it. Whenever they had been out together he had seen the way that people had looked at them. The pity in their eyes had been almost unbearable.

Besides, he truly did not believe that he had made such an impression on the Immortal. Jack Harkness could have anyone he wanted at any time. Why would he have chosen someone like Ianto, who was so dull and lackluster? Jack was wonderful and innovative. He needed someone who could capture and keep his interest. No, Ianto Jones was not the person for the job. There was also the fact that after Ianto had been awakened and was coherent enough to talk he had asked about Jack. Jack had then been called in to see him. By the time the other man had left the room, Ianto was completely shattered and had dissolved in tears. Jack had looked him in the eye and told him that any feelings he might have once had for Ianto had been slight and insignificant. He had moved on. Jack then said he was going back to the stars, to his own time. He said he didn't ever want to see Ianto again.

"Get over me all ready, Ianto. Live you life. Because I don't want you in mine."

That had broken him. Ianto had wept for several days, barely eating, making himself sick in the process. Then his sister had come to see him. He had reached out to her, seeking comfort that only a sister could give.

"My children were in danger. If you had been honest with me, instead of lying all the time, they would have been safe."

She blamed him for the 456 nearly taking away David and Mica. She told him to stay away from them all. Then she had turned and walked out.

There was only one person left for him to call on. But Gwen had chosen to leave Torchwood for good. She and Rhys had moved to Swansea, near her parents, and were raising their child there. He had asked UNIT to call her. She had come in to see him. His last hope for a reason to live.

"He left because of you. If you hadn't always been around, if you'd given him space, Jack would have stayed. But you didn't so he left us forever." Her eyes had been so cold. "I never liked you. I tolerated you. First because we worked together and I felt sorry after Lisa. Then later, it was because I had no choice. After Owen and Tosh we needed you to help more. I'm sorry that Jack was forced to pretend that you meant something to him. He deserved better. He deserved someone who was worth it. That someone wasn't you, Ianto Jones. You're just the Tea Boy."

She had turned her back on him. Like the others. Only her betrayal hurt him more than it should have.

Gwen. She had always been a sore spot for him. It had been clear that Jack was attracted to her the moment she had stumbled into Torchwood. The attraction between Ianto and Jack had also been so easy to see when they had first met. The difference with Gwen was that Jack had never teased and flirted with her the way he had with Ianto or anyone else. It told Ianto that Gwen had meant so much more to Jack than he had. The evidence of his lover's feelings was so painfully obvious that it hurt to think about.

He remembered Gwen's wedding. The way that Jack and she had behaved it was more than obvious that they had wanted each other. Ianto had broken up their intimate dance in order to spare Rhys the humiliation he would have felt had he turned away from the bar. His own humiliation had been complete when Jack had held him a little further away than he had Gwen and had kept his attention on the woman herself. Ianto had not allowed Jack to come home with him that night. No, instead he had poured himself into bed and cried himself to sleep. A few hours later he walked into the Hub and pretended that nothing was wrong. When Jack asked him if they were okay, he lied and told him that he was sorry for his behavior last night; he'd been so tired after dealing with the Nostrovite and the clean up that he'd simply wanted to go to sleep. Jack had smiled and teased him the rest of the day.

Sometimes Ianto wondered what would have happened had he told Jack the truth that day. Would Jack have confirmed his fears that he was merely a consolation prize? Would he have ended things, leaving Ianto alone, so that he could be with someone else? Or would he have told Ianto that he was wrong, that it was Ianto, not Gwen who had captured his heart? Or had he really been with ianto because he needed to keep him close by, as Gwen had hinted at? Had anything about his life before been true?

It was no wonder he was so messed up inside.

The tears finally stopped running. It was time for him to stop thinking about the 'what ifs' and focus on his life as it was now. He was the soul remaining survivor of Torchwood Cardiff. He had a job to do. If only he were not so completely alone while surrounded by people.

_It's better than being in the darkness…_

Even though he had not been technically dead he had still found himself in the darkness that Suzie, Owen and Jack had feared so much.

He shuddered and lifted his head at the thought. The darkness. He would have rather been converted by Cybermen or been a walking corpse like Owen. Anything was better than the _nothing_ that was the darkness. As a Torchwood employee he had witness many terrible and horrifying things. The darkness was the most terrifying of all.

The darkness had been everywhere. It was an empty void filled with the bleakest of thoughts and memories.

He closed his eyes at the thought of going back.

Voices, the barest of whispers, had been his only companion. He had heard them -- _Lisa, Owen and Tosh _-- at every angle. He had seen shapes, black shadows that had circled round and round him with each breath, each passing second. There was no concept of time in the darkness. It had been like reliving the some moment over and over again. But the voices…

Lisa. Owen and Tosh. He could hear them, he could feel them. They had been right there, just out of reach. Just out of sight. They were always there. Yet he had been alone. So very alone.

So many times he had cried out to them, begging them to not leave him. _Please, don't go!_ But he had still been alone, _still so alone_.

Memories of days gone by whispered to him, taunting him with what he'd once had. Good memories had warred with the bad to keep him desolate with grief. He remembered meeting Lisa and falling in love. He remembered the terror of Canary Wharf and trying to keep her safe only to lose her again. He could recall Tosh coming to visit with him while he was suspended. Tosh had been so determined to make him a part of the team she had talked Jack into field training Ianto. And Owen had become a better friend after Jack had run off. Ianto could remember getting drunk at the pubs and playing stupid video games with the doctor. He could also remember how grateful Owen had been when he'd died and Ianto hadn't treated him any different, just a bit more respectful. Owen and Tosh dying. Two people dear to him, gone forever.

Memory upon memory had pierced through the darkness. The memories only made the _nothingness_ worse.

Laughter as Mica and David played in the backyard while Rhiannon made them tea. Conversations about the neighbors and work and girlfriends had been constant. Johnny arguing with him over the rugby match outcome. He'd never been fond of his sister's husband but could get along well enough with him. Mica asking Uncle Ianto to read her a story while David demanded attention as well. Christmases spent with family, first his sister and parents and then his sister and her husband and children.

Children. That was one of his biggest regrets. Lisa had wanted to be a mother. She would have been fantastic. He had been hoping to marry her and then start a family of their own. After losing her, that dream had been pushed back. When he and Jack had gotten together he had known then that children would never come. It had been a pipedream. It had also been worth giving up just to be in Jack's arms.

He wiped at the tears with his hand. It was time to forget about the darkness and the past he couldn't change.

Yes, the nightmares would still come. He dreamed them almost every single night. He dreamed about Cybermen, Daleks, jarred hands, space whales. He dreamed about evil faeries, man-eating shape shifters and 51st century men. But he had to move on. He had to forget about what he had lost. It would do him no good now. The past was where it belonged. The future was all that was ahead of him. He had no choice but to carry on. He had a new purpose in life.

_"Coming here, gave me meaning again. You…"_

He shook his head and stood. No, he would not think of Jack. Especially as that particular memory was a puzzle to him. He could not remember why he had said that to Jack. Perhaps it didn't matter.

"All right." He smiled a tight smile. "Time to pack away the past and move towards the future. The end is where Ianto Jones starts from."

He needed to move on. But it was hard. Jack didn't want him, but he still clung to his feelings for the Immortal. He loved Jack so much that it hurt to move on. Jack didn't want him so he had no choice but to move on. UNIT and the Institute had given him a reason to live. He would do his best to see it through.

He went into the bathroom and started the bath water running. He shed his clothes and hung them carefully above the tub to get the wrinkles of travel out. As he lowered himself into the hot water he thought about his initial meeting with the Bluemont staff.

He knew they were angry at his position here but they were going to have to deal with it. The only one he was concerned about was Monroe. The man had quite a reputation at the Institute. Ianto had read the files on him and been suitably impressed. Unfortunately Monroe reminded him of Jack in so many ways. They both were charismatic and intelligent. It also didn't help that Ianto had felt shivers course through his body as their hands had touched. Nor did the fact that, like Jack, Jason Monroe had a subtle yet amazing personal scent. It reminded him of Jack and how safe he'd always felt with the Captain. Even now that thought made him tingle. Was he doomed to repeat his mistakes?

Jason Monroe was a temptation that he needed to stay away from. It would be difficult but he could manage. He had all ready gone down that path and would not make the same mistake again. He had fallen in love with Jack and had gotten pulled in so many directions that it was impossible for him to not have gotten hurt. Loving Jack Harkness had made him feel like a yo-yo. In the end it had gotten him nowhere. He needed to focus on his job now. He needed to forget his sudden and unwelcome attraction to his new boss.

He would make a list. It would help him relax a little. Organizing his thoughts always had that effect.

He hadn't always been so organized. Before getting on at Torchwood One he had been like so many other twenty-two year olds. Organized chaos was how his mother had seen it. Piles of everything littering the floor. Clothes were tossed in piles according to 'clean' or 'dirty'; books had been stacked in the bookcase instead of being set upright. He had never made his bed without being told. The kitchen sink had overflowed with dishes and take-away boxes.

All that had changed when he joined Torchwood. He had made himself grow up. His wakeup call came to him when he was all ready running late for work and he spilled coffee on his one clean shirt. Forced to dig through the pile at the bottom of the closet he'd managed to find a less wrinkled shirt that would work. After that (and the lecture he'd received for being nearly forty-five minutes late) he had used his days off that week to clear out his flat of all non-essentials, donating what he could to charity, and then he scrubbed and scrubbed until the floors were clean enough to eat off of. He had never been late again.

He was still as organized. He ran a to-do list through his mind while he soaked in the tub.

Supplies for the apartment (not a flat, he'd need to remember that) was at the top of the list. He would make a list of items needed after he'd look through the kitchen. Coffee was the most important. He would have to see about the coffee maker. Hopefully it wouldn't be complicated. Sometimes he missed the one from the Hub. He still had amazing barista skills but he didn't take as much joy in it as he once had done. As long as it brewed coffee that was all that mattered.

He also needed to sort out where to purchase some new clothes as all he still owned was contained in his two suitcases. There was also the matter of a permanent residence. He doubted that Monroe would allow him to stay here for long. Oh, and an automobile. He had been retaught how to drive and his Torchwood I.D. doubled as a driver's permit. A line of credit wasn't an issue. Having enough currency wasn't an issue. UNIT and the British government was trying to make up for their previous blunders by taking care of Torchwood Cardiff and its former employees. He knew that Gwen and Rhys lived comfortably with the pension she received from the government.

Life was so much less than it had been before. But at least he was alive.

He just had to keep telling himself that. Maybe one day he'd start to believe it.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Stirrings

_June 9, 2014. Late Monday night._

The front door of Jason's house was thrown open with a bang. His keys hit the coffee table and slid off as he flung himself onto the sofa.

To say he was not in a good mood was an understatement. After Jenny had returned Jason had discussed at length with the rest of the senior staff what to do about the situation. It was decided that they would try to get along with Jones but it would be made clear that it was Jason, not Jones, who was in charge. It was one thing to force him to take on a new teammate but it was an entirely different thing when it upset the balance of the team.

Ianto Jones. What a _bastard_.

As promised, all of the files on Jones had been delivered to his inbox within minutes of his departure. Because of his former Torchwood employment as well as his Rift experience the young man was seen as an ideal alien hunter and Rift expert. The threat of alien domination was indeed very real. Earth's governments wanted to do everything possible to try to delay, if not completely prevent, that tragic event. Jason had no choice but to accept Ianto Jones' place on his team. He had to accept that Sam had been demoted and that big changes were coming. Because of that, Ianto Jones would be moving into the office next to Jason's. Only a thin wall would separate the two of them. A wall with a window. A window that he would be able to look through at the attractive younger man who--

He stood and began to pace, a growl forming in his throat.

This wasn't good. He'd known the man less than an hour and all ready he was letting the physical attractiveness of the man override his common sense.

He would have to tread carefully if he wanted to stay ahead of the game. Experience had taught him that; the better looking someone was the more dangerous they tended to be. Ianto Jones would not be his downfall. Even Captain Harkness had commented how dangerous Ianto Jones was.

There was one report written by Harkness concerning Jones that had Jason worried. Jones had been hired at Torchwood Cardiff despite the Captain's insistence that there was no opening. Jones used his looks and intelligence to stalk and trick Harkness. It paid off and Jones was hired. Nearly seven months later Jones's girlfriend was discovered hiding in the basement. She had been half-converted by the Cybermen and he had placed her there while he searched for someone to cure her. Her Cyber programming was too ingrained and she tried to kill or convert them all. Harkness had her killed before she could escape and had the Cyber technology destroyed.

But that wasn't even the frightening part.

Ianto Jones nearly destroyed the human race and his punishment was a mere four-week suspension. Hartman would have killed him. Jason would have killed him. Any one else would have seen the danger of keeping Ianto Jones alive. Yet somehow he'd been able to convince Harkness to keep him on. He'd even advanced far from his posting as Archivist.

Ianto Jones was very dangerous indeed.

Jones' eyes were so empty. His smile did not reached his eyes. Those dark blue eyes were so mesmerizing, like a siren's call. Jason had found it impossible to look away.

_He must be so lonely. He has nothing, no one_, his subconscious whispered softly to him.

"Piss off."

The way that Ianto had smirked at him as he explained his role at Bluemont had gone through him. Damn, that face, those eyes, that tight body…

Damn, he needed a cold shower. Scratch that, he needed a _freezing_ shower.

He could not believe that he had gotten hard over that little prick. Ianto Jones was not his type in anything except for looks. He kicked off his boots and went to the bathroom. He stripped and turned on the cold water. He stayed under the steady stream for several minutes. It proved futile; he had no choice but to take matters into his own hand. He finally finished and turned off the water. He didn't even bother getting dressed. He simply dried himself off, tossed the towel aside and climbed into bed. He tossed and turned angrily before he eventually fell into a fitful sleep. His sleep was punctuated with sensual dreams. But they were not the dreams of a faceless lover.

Instead his dreams were Ianto-filled.

~_~_~

_June 10, 2014. Tuesday morning._

The smell of fresh brewed coffee assaulted Jason's senses the moment he walked through the door into the main part of the base. Ianto sat at a desk holding a coffee cup in his hand. He wore a black pinstriped suit with a matching vest and a red shirt.

Looking up, Jason cocked an eyebrow at him.

"How'd you get in?" he demanded. He tried to ignore the little voice in his head that hinted that Ianto looked ravishing in purple, like what he'd worn yesterday.

"Passcode. How else?" Ianto set down his cup and gestured for Jason to join him. "I've been here for nearly two hours and I have to say that your security procedures are severely lacking."

"We've never had problems before," Jason snapped as he yanked off his jacket.

"Look, I'm sorry but a toddler could get in here just by getting a hold of your keys." He actually sounded a little apologetic.

Jason scowled and started over to the coffee station. He glanced at one of the computers and felt his temper flare.

"What the hell? You don't have the authority to come in and start fucking up everyone's stuff!" He marched over to the desk and looked at the screen. There was an installation in progress.

"Actually, I think you'll find that I do," Ianto said calmly.

Jason rubbed at his temple; he could feel a headache coming on.

"You could have at least waited for me to get in. Give me some sort of warning. Damn near gave me a heart attack. _It's not funny_…" Jason glowered angrily at him. "There are certain programs running constantly. Unless you know what you're doing--"

"I do," Ianto interrupted, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I checked before I got started to ensure that I wasn't 'fucking up everyone's stuff." He stood and faced him. "Look, you're going to have to trust me. At least a little. I helped with security at Cardiff. I know which programs work and which don't."

Jason had to work hard to keep his features schooled. This would have been easier to do except for the fact that he'd gotten very little sleep and had woken up with a major case of hard-on that took nearly half an hour in the cold shower to get rid of.

"What exactly are you installing anyway?"

"How about we go into your office? I'll give you all the details."

"Whatever."

Jason turned and stomped off to his office with Ianto right behind him.

He knew he shouldn't have worn these jeans today. They were tight enough without adding Ianto Jones to the mix.

~_~_~

Two hours later the entire Torchwood Bluemont staff had gathered in the boardroom. Jason sat at the head of the table while Ianto stood directly to his left.

Ianto opened up a box of and lifted a USB flash drive for them all to see.

"Each of these is keyed to you specifically through your DNA," he said. "Jenny will need blood samples from each of you before they can be activated."

"What are they for?" Susan asked curiously.

"To get into the base. The locks at both doors are being refitted. You will place your RIGHT hand on the small panel to open a USB port where you plug in the flash drive to open the door. You will have thirty-five seconds to enter before the door closes. After that, you have to wait for seven minutes or until someone lets you in. The inner doors will have the same lock. This time place your LEFT hand on the door panel. Must then type in a seventeen-digit passcode that must contain letters, numbers and symbols to open the door into the base."

"A flash drive?" Miranda said with a frown. "Anyone with a computer can get the information on it!"

"The drives have been altered by alien technology. A tiny chip inside will contain your DNA. No Torchwood information is stored on the drives. The only information contained is your log-in and log-out times."

"Log-out?" Sam said. "What if there's an emergency?"

Ianto adopted a patient expression. "Not a problem. You just walk out the door as needed. However, when you are about to leave for the day, Rift activity providing, you plug into either door and it simply records the time. If you choose, you may still log-out via your computer terminals and not the door; the time will still be recorded," Ianto said. "Now, I have one for each of us. I've all ready placed your Torchwood ID numbers on them."

Jenny raised her hand. "What happens if we lose our drives?"

"Let me know immediately. The technology used to alter them is simple to install but I would still need to fit it into a new drive," Ianto said with a smile that nearly reached his eyes. Jason was suddenly very glad he was sitting down; his knees had gone weak.

"Okay, next is the subject of communication." He reached into the box and pulled out another small device. "At Cardiff and London, we used modified Bluetooth headsets with a wide range. It's especially useful for communicating between the field and base. I've all ready fine-tuned fourteen headsets with a bit of alien know-how." He passed around the box of headsets.

"I recommend wearing them all the time, to get used to it," Ianto suggested as they all took a set. "I've installed on everyone's computers a set of security programs that you will need to send to your mobiles. In the event that you lose your mobiles this will ensure that all Torchwood-related numbers are inaccessible. Also, if you have any pictures, texts or voicemails relating to Torchwood," he narrowed his eyes at Sam, who did have several Torchwood-related texts and pictures on his phone. "I want it gone by the time you leave this evening. And I can assure you that I _will_ be checking."

Ianto looked around, allowing his eyes to rest on Jason. They stared each other down in silence, each lost in their own thoughts of attraction and sex. Ianto could smell Jason's scent. Jason wondered exactly what was beneath the immaculate suit.

It was going to be a long day.

~_~_~

_June 11, 2014. Wednesday afternoon._

Ianto looked around his new office. He'd had Sam clear out his things. Sam had not been very happy but had done it. Now it was just after one o'clock in the afternoon and Ianto was all ready exhausted.

Ever since he'd awakened in the UNIT hospital he'd tired easily. His body temperature had also lowered and was now at 94.5 degrees when he was in good health. That and his anemia meant that he was chilled most of the time.

He looked up and saw Jason on the phone through the window that separated their offices. The expression on his face was one of anger. Probably trying to get out of working wth him. He had been the last two days.

_I'm no happier with my being here than you are._

He turned away and sat behind the desk.

It was his first official day at work and all ready he hated it. Monroe had forced him to take yesterday off after the meeting had ended. He had only agreed as jetlag had started to set in. Also he had hoped that after a day or so to cool off that everyone at Bluemont would be in a more receptive frame of mind. He was disappointed, but not really surprised, that they all still gave him dirty looks. No one but Shelly or Jenny would even look at him without making a face. Not to mention that several of them had begun to mock his accent. Typical Americans.

_"I need to hear those beautiful Welsh vowels."_

Jack… At least _he'd_ liked the sound of his voice.

God how he missed him. He just hoped that wherever (and possibly _whenever_) his lover was he was living his life to the fullest. He knew it was too much to ask that Jack Harkness come and take him away from this existence but he could still hope.

_But I always knew, didn't I, that I was nothing more than a blip in time for you. Maybe not even that. We both knew that I was never first in your heart. I was convienient. A part-time shag. Nothing more. Certainly not important enough for you to come and whisk me away from here._

He looked around the bare office before sitting behind the desk. This was it. This was his exisitence now.

_"Then we'd better make the most of it."_

His own words from a day so long ago made him smile despite the initial meaning behind them.

"Yes," he murmured. "I suposse that I should take my own advice. Served me all right before."

He took another look around the office. He recalled his dingy little office at the Tourist office in Cardiff as well as his cramped work station in the Hub. It was nice, he had to admit, to have an actual office of his own. He really had moved on from being an office boy. Now Ianto had real authority and could make decisions that would impact the group and the world.

Yes, he would make the most of it.

Tomorrow he would go to a shopping center and purchase a new desk and some other office furniture. Shelly, he was sure, could direct him to a suitable place to shop. Perhaps he would also start to look for more permanent housing. He had asked but Monroe didn't want him to stay at the safe house for long as it was needed for wayward aliens and Rift victims. If he were to really let go of his past, then Ianto needed to lay down roots.

Yes, tomorrow he would start to do just that.

~_~_~

June 16, 2014. Late Monday night.

_Ianto was running. He was surrounded by the darkness. It filled him up and threatened to drown him in its bleakness. He felt as if he were suffocating. He hoped and wished and begged to find some light. But there was no light at the end of the tunnel; there was only the darkness._

_Yet still he ran._

_Voices that he had not cherished enough while alive spoke to him, trying to reach him. He could just make out the words, mere snatches of days gone by._

No one ever brings you a coffee. It's worth the risk to protect people. No thanks, I'm fine. You're just the Tea-Boy. Now you're going out on missions, you're shagging Jack. King of the Weevils, remember? You always keep your promises. I want to walk. Isn't that what love is?

And he looks good in a suit. Your loyalty is to us now. You shouldn't be here. See you in my office in ten. I came back for you. And I wouldn't change that for the world. Always has been, always will be. That's all there is. It's all my fault. Don't. Don't. Don't. **DON'T**.

_Jack; his lover, his partner, his very world. A world that had ended the day he died._

_Sometimes he could just make out Jack's rich voice, his throaty laugh. It never lasted for long. But then, Jack couldn't stay dead. It hurt not being with him, not being able to see him but at least he knew that Jack was alive. Jack would be all right. Jack would be safe from the darkness._

_Jack was still out there. Jack would remember him._

_Ianto ran so that maybe they were wrong and there was something more. Something more than this nothing._

_"Ianto."_

_A voice called out to him. He stopped running. He looked around; he tried to find the source of the disturbance. The other voices were mere wisps in his ear but this voice sounded like it was right there. He was drawn to it._

_"Ianto. Turn around."_

_He turned and stared. A hand reached out from the darkness. It was a vaguely familiar hand. Slowly he raised his head and he let out a stifled cry._

_It was Jason Monroe._

_"Jason?"_

_"Ianto." Jason looked at him, warmth in his dark brown eyes. "Take my hand." The larger man held out his hand to him. Jason's voice was deep and warm, like his eyes. Ianto felt himself drowning in a pool of warmth. It was so familiar and made him feel almost loved and safe._

_"What's going on?"_

_"You need to remember. Remember it all."_

_"Remember what?"_

_"The past. You can't return to it. But you can remember it. Memory is fragile, but so powerful too." Jason took Ianto's hand in his. "Your past is a part of you. Don't hide from it."_

_"I'm not! I do remember! It's all that I am!" He couldn't let go of Jack. He couldn't, he had tried before, when Jack had left them. He had thought he would die._

_"Not that past. The past that is buried deep. Look beyond what you know and see what you've forgotten."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"You will soon, Cariad. And I'll be here waiting for you. I promise."_

Ianto awoke with a gasp. His sheets were twisted around him and he was covered in sweat. He looked around the darkened room. The clock on his bedside table glowed 11: 34 p.m.

The dream was not like his other dreams.

Ever since he'd joined Torchwood back in London he'd been plagued with nightmares. At first they consisted of shapes and blurred faces. After Canary Wharf he'd dreamt of being converted or exterminated. After Abbadon he'd dreamt that the world was taken over by giggling balls. Gray had caused him to dream about Tosh and Owen dying over and over again. Then came Davros and his new Daleks.

Nightmares for the norm for Ianto anymore.

Being unfrozen meant that Jack being blown up, Jack being covered in concrete and Jack holding him for one last time had joined the formula for a sleepless night.

But this new dream caused a very different reaction. Now suddenly instead of hopelessness and despair, Ianto felt a sense of need and desire. It spread through his body and he nearly sobbed with the need to be near Jason.

Oh God… He hadn't felt desire for anyone since losing Jack. What did this mean? And what was it he needed to remember?

He sighed and climbed out of bed. Sleep would not be possible anymore tonight.

~_~_~

_Jason pressed his lover gently down on the bed. He kissed the sweaty forehead and slowly began to run his fingers over the naked flesh. He lightly sucked at his lover's neck, drawing out the most exquisite of sounds. The sounds drew him in as he began his journey down his lover's long, lean body. He only stopped when he reached the small puckered navel and he lavished it with his tongue._

_"Jason…" whispered a lilting voice. So familiar, so sweet and soft with love._

_He cherished every single sound, each word that was uttered from those kiss-bruised lips. Lips that were even now parted with pants and gasps and moans._

_"Jason, please, I need you. Now!"_

_He sat up and placed his hands on his lover's trembling thighs. He gently but firmly parted them and looked down at the arousal in his lover's eyes._

_The eyes were a bright, intense blue._

_They were Ianto's Jones's eyes._

_"What the…"_

Jason awoke with a jerk.

"Fuck."

Jason sat up in bed and looked around. There was no sign of Ianto Jones, naked or otherwise, in his room. He pulled himself to his feet with a groan and staggered down the hall to the bathroom. Unfortunately he now had an uncomfortable situation to take into hand. He had no choice but to deal with it.

He debated going back to bed once he was out of the shower. Instead of diving back under the covers he padded barefoot into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. He figured since he was wide-awake he might as well get some work done. He ploughed through several half finished reports and got to work on that packet that California needed on recently scavenged alien technology by the time the sun had risen. He sighed deeply as his thoughts were still wrapped tight around the dream. He had hoped that the images would vanish into his subconscious if he concentrated on other tasks.

Why the hell would he be dreaming about Ianto Jones, anyway? The 'Import' was the most annoying self-centered, arrogant creep he had ever met. No matter how attractive he was.

He couldn't deny that Jones was hot. He was hot enough to make Jason consider breaking his personal rules. It wasn't his looks that caused problems; his personality left a lot to be desired. Jason scowled and returned to his work. He would not allow himself to think about Ianto Jones.

When Jason stalked into the base just before 9 a.m. the first thing he saw was Ianto Jones standing at the coffee station. Ianto looked up and their eyes locked. They stared at each other before looking away. Both were plagued by their dreams. Both feared what the dreams meant.

They avoided one another for the entire day. Too bad it didn't help.

~_~_~

_June 17, 2014. Tuesday afternoon._

One week. It had been one week since Ianto Jones had officially joined the team. During that entire time the only conversation that was exchanged between him and the rest of the staff were concerning Torchwood. He was either giving out orders or comparing Bluemont and its staff to the former Cardiff base. The latter had certainly ruffled nearly everyone's feathers.

Shelly stood just outside Ianto's office, peering inside the opened door. She could see him as he sat at his desk working on reports. It depressed her to think that he had yet to make any friends and she was determined to do something about it.

Obviously the first step to doing something involved talking to him. She needed an excuse to start a conversation so that she could find out what sort of things interested him. She held close to her chest a stack of reports. Either by Ianto or Jason needed to review and sign them before they could be filed away. Not only was it part of her job as an Archivist but also it was the perfect opportunity to get to know Ianto.

She took a deep breath and tapped lightly on the door. Ianto looked up as she entered and managed a small smile for her.

"Shelly, what can I do for you?" he asked in that polite tone of his.

She looked at him imploringly and set the files on the desk.

"These need to be signed before I can file them. I think Jason's busy, so could you…?"

He nodded and said, "Just leave them here. I'll bring them to you when I'm finished."

Ooh, she hadn't thought of that! She had to think quickly before he dismissed her.

"Oh! But these are kinda important so do you think that maybe you could look at them now?"

Ianto bit his tongue. Only Shelly and Jenny did not react vehemently to his position as Second in Command. It would not help matters if he made an enemy out of someone who was trying to be accepting of his presence. Instead he smiled again and gestured for her to sit.

"Just give me a minute." He picked his pen back up and continued to work on the report in front of him. When he finished a few minutes later he closed the folder and placed it in a tray labeled 'ready to file'. He then turned to the stack that Shelly had brought in.

"So," she said slowly. "How do you like it here so far?"

"Torchwood or Bluemont?" he asked as he scanned the first page.

"Uh, both, I guess."

"Don't ask questions unless you know what it is you want to know."

"Huh?"

"My mother always used to say that," Ianto said as he leafed through the first report. "Whenever anyone asked a question and got an unexpected response. She felt that you should only ask questions when you knew exactly what it was you wanted to know."

"Oh, well, how do you like the city of Bluemont?" she clarified.

"It's nice. The weather is fairly mild and the city isn't too crowded. There's plenty to do and when I have the time I intend on exploring the city and what it has to offer."

"And what about here, at Torchwood?"

She braced herself for his response.

"When I take into consideration that the place isn't very organized and lacking in some areas I find that I rather like it. There are more people in each department so no one individual is forced to carry the burden. Everyone does their share. I'm not used to having so much free time. At Cardiff we worked from dawn until after midnight so often that caffeine became part of our daily routines. Evenings off were rare. Although we had some evenings free." His hand moved swiftly over the report, making corrections and notes as he spoke. "But forget weekends or holidays. Gwen was able to take time for her wedding and honeymoon and the rest of us managed to take a couple days here and there to tidy up our homes or run errands. I remember my first Christmas at Cardiff. Owen and I had to go round up a couple of Weevils and perform an autopsy. I arrived at my sister's house covered in alien slime and had to make up some sort of…" He trailed off and cleared his throat. "Sorry," he said. "I'm not usually so chatty. Also, I'm sure you don't want to hear about any of that." He continued to work in silence.

Shelly held back a sigh. She knew that the others had all ready made a few comments about Ianto's tales of Torchwood Cardiff. They felt that he was comparing them to the other base.

_'Oh look at this! We would have done it so much better in Cardiff!'_

That was how they felt he was acting whenever he opened his mouth. But she had seen the tightly concealed hurt in Ianto's eyes when they mocked him. Far away from home, away from everyone he'd cared about… He was lonesome. Yet no one had even bothered to try to make him feel welcome. All they did was make fun of him, talk behind his back or ignore him. Was it any wonder that he didn't want to make conversation with any of them?

He was afraid of rejection. It was easy for her to understand that everyone was upset at the way that Ianto had come to join them. But it wasn't as if it was his fault. He had been forced to take on the role he now had and she felt sorry for him.

_It's not fair_, she thought.

She pursed her lips together for a moment as she watched him work. She made a decision.

"Um, I'd love to hear more about your friends."

Ianto regarded her for a moment. He couldn't see any trace of cruelness in her. Her interest seemed genuine. Maybe she really did want to know.

"Well, I started out as the office boy. I was nothing special. I sorted and filed reports, I made coffee and I arranged everyone's days. It was my job to get them where they needed to be and to help clean up any mess they made."

"So," she said. "You were hired because you knew your way around a copy machine?"

A genuine smile graced his face.

"At first. It became more complicated later on."

"How so?"

"I had a bad experience and got myself suspended for a month. That made them see that I could do more if given the chance. I started getting more hands on in cases. Jack had me accompany them on field missions. My first time out we all nearly got killed but luckily we escaped without too much injury." He smiled a little. "Jack felt bad that my first mission I almost died so he took me out to hunt Weevils to get me better trained."

"Miranda was saying something the other day. Something about you and Captain Harkness…"

Ianto's eyes clouded over.

"What about us?"

"She said something about the two of you hooking up." Shelly bit her lip as Ianto looked away. "Sorry. That's kinda personal, isn't it?"

"No, it's all right. The Cardiff police were always speculating on that as well."

He closed the folder and picked up his cup of coffee. He sipped it quietly while trying to think of how best to describe his relationship with Jack.

"It was purely sexual at first. I was lonely after my girlfriend died and he was lonely in general. It was comfort sex. But over time it became something more. I'm not sure exactly what but to me it was special." He looked down at the cup in his hands. "I could tell Jack things that I daren't even think about around anyone else. I've suffered from nightmares since Canary Wharf, but whenever he was there everything seemed brighter. I like to think that he saw me as someone special too. Whenever he had a problem he would talk to me. Jack was my closest friend."

Shelly looked at him and smiled. She could read between the lines as well as anyone.

"So he was your boyfriend?"

"I wish I could say." At the confused look sent his way he sighed. "The word 'couple' was not a word that Jack Harkness liked to have in his mental dictionary. He would cringe every time I used it. He always changed the subject or got testy with me."

"So he was a typical male then? Not surprising. My boyfriend wouldn't use the word 'couple' for over a year. It took me running into an ex for him to say it."

He stared at her. He had never thought of it like that. It had been the same for him and Lisa. He had been too scared of commitment until she'd said she needed more from him or she was leaving it.

"Men are clueless," he sighed. "And I'm no exception."

"Why?"

"Jack Harkness doesn't like to be pushed. But no, I had to push and push for clarification."

"Yeah, men don't like to be pushed. The Talk always seems to scare them off." She giggled as a thought occurred to her. "I guess it's the same when it's two guys, huh?"

Ianto smiled back at her and then looked at the reports. He felt a little bubble of something so close to joy rise up inside. He realized that Shelly hadn't brought him the reports to because she needed his signature. Instead she had used work as an excuse to make conversation. He had told her more than he had been able to say all week. And she had listened to every word.

"Thank you."

"For what?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

"For talking to me, letting me prattle on. You didn't have to," he pointed out.

"I enjoyed hearing about it." She smiled and twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "The thing about the others is that they're too mad. They think that you've taken over. They don't want to get to know you. I was looking forward for days to meeting you."

"You were?"

"Yeah. I love meeting new people." Her smile widened. "Born and raised in Charleston. Never lived anywhere else. Except for Bluemont, that is. And that's only been since I started at Torchwood."

"What made you join Torchwood? If you don't mind my asking that is." He wondered if he'd gone too far. Her face now went from happy to sad. The round visage twisted into a look of agony and he swallowed.

"I'm sorry, it's not my business--"

"No, it's okay," she assured him. She took a breath to calm her nerves. "I had a twin. My brother Josh."

"What happened to him?" He had a terrible feeling about this.

"Have you been to Kanawha State Forest yet?"

He shook his head. He hadn't been anywhere except the apartment, the grocer and the base.

"It's pretty there. Anyway, three years ago, Josh and I were hiking in the forest when this weird looking thing, a lizard person, appeared in front of us. I panicked. But Josh was braver than me. He shoved me and told me to run. So I did. As fast as I could. I thought he was right behind me but when I got back down the trail and to the car I realized I was alone. I guess I was more afraid of what had happened to him because I ran back up to look for him."

Ianto watched her hands as they began to shake. He wanted to make her stop but didn't know how.

"All that was left was his body. He'd been decapitated." She looked away but could see the sorrow etched in Ianto's face with her peripheral vision. " I just sat there and cried. I sat there for hours. It was dark when Jason showed up with Miranda and Sam. They'd followed the alien from Bluemont to Charleston. I was in so much shock that they took me to a Torchwood safe house and sedated me. The next day they explained to me what had happened."

"Did you believe them?"

"Not at first. I thought they were part of some crazy cult. But then Shaina, who joined a couple months before, showed me around the base and I got to see more aliens. There were nice ones, kinda like little pets. They had Josh's body there too. And they'd been able to catch the alien that had killed him. I watched as Jenny cut it open and that's when it hit me. I mean, all those sci-fi shows. The ideas had to come from somewhere, right?"

Ianto chuckled at the look on her face.

"The lady in charge at the California base said it would have been kinder to make me forget what I'd seen. But Jason refused to do a mind-wipe. He said that it was painful and hard and that I'd suffered enough. Instead he offered me a job. He said that I could help prevent others from getting hurt. I said I need to think it over and promised not to tell anyone what I'd seen. The word on the street was that a wild animal, a bear, attacked Josh. After the funeral I decided that Jason was right. I wanted to help them. My parents didn't even question it when I said I was moving away to start over. They saw it as a good thing. They thought I was getting away from it all."

"What is it they think you do?" His own sister had believed he was a civil servant. It had been an easy enough lie to tell. The long-term deception was one of the reasons she wanted him to stay out of her family's life.

"Well, I'm a researcher here so they think that's what I do. I just never bothered to tell them that it's aliens I research." She grinned mischievously. "Or that I can use a gun."

Ianto laughed a little and reached again for a report.

"Owen Harper, our medic, had a somewhat similar experience. His fiancé was killed when an alien took over her brain. Unlike you he let his demons affect him to the point that he was bitter at the world. Every time we thought he was starting to live again something would happen to make him angry and his bitterness grew."

He looked thoughtful now, as he thought about Owen in those last months before Gray had turned everything upside down.

"He let his sorrow eat away at him the rest of his life. He faced his demons in the end at least. I only wish that I could be as brave or strong. I'm glad that _you_ have proven to be strong enough to carry on." He set the paper down and looked her in the eye.

"And I'm glad that you came in here to chat." He smiled at her, a real smile. A happy smile. "Perhaps we can do it again?"

Shelly beamed; her smile lit up the room. He couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe he could do this after all. Maybe there was something good about his life.

"I'd like that!"

"Me too."

To Ianto's surprise, and Shelly's delight, he meant it.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Frustrations

_June 27, 2014. Friday morning._

Jason scowled as he watched Ianto and Shelly chat over by the coffee station. Two and a half weeks had passed since Ianto Jones had arrived at Torchwood Bluemont.

No one was dealing well under the strain of new routine. Ianto's methods were far different from Sam's. Sam had jumped into things head first, without taking the time to see everything from every angle. Ianto insisted on more research before going out into the field. The amount of paperwork that they each did had been greatly increased as well. No one liked Ianto Jones.

Except for Shelly. Shelly not only was just fine with the changes but she was also busy making friends with Ianto. In fact these last couple of weeks they had all watched as a friendship took root between the two.

On a more personal level, Jason had experienced the most stressful nineteen days of his life. At home every night he would pour himself into bed and go to sleep. Inevitably he would dream. The dreams always involved Ianto and himself and were shown in perfect clarity and detail. They were erotic and sensual and threatened his sanity. No matter what, every single morning since Ianto's arrival at Torchwood Bluemont Jason awoke and had to take very cold shower. It was starting to become more than a little frustrating.

It didn't help that today Ianto wore a light purple shirt with his black suit. Not only was purple Jason's favorite color but it looked hot on Ianto Jones. The fact that the tailored pants were just a bit snug and therefore accentuated the firm backside also didn't help.

Shooting another dirty look in the direction of the coffee station Jason went into his office. He yanked off his jacket and tossed it in the general direction of the coat stand in the corner. There was a pile of reports he needed to go through as well as a conference call to Texas he needed to prepare for.

He had been working for only a few minutes when he heard Miranda call out to him.

"Jason! Rift activity!"

He rose quickly and grabbed his jacket off the floor.

"Lead the way," he said to Miranda as he checked his gun. "Sam! Get your ass out to the car!"

"All ready on it!"

They reached the door and were about to go through it when Ianto spoke.

"I'm going too."

They turned to look at him. In his immaculate suit he did not look like the type to do field work. He looked like he belonged behind a desk not chasing down aliens.

"No," Miranda said as she grabbed her field bag. The spike in activity was located in a wooded area. She was not about to be responsible for the 'Import'.

"I said I'm going too."

"No way, man," Sam said as he loaded up an extra round of bullets. "I'm not gonna watch your ass when I have work to do."

One single, perfectly groomed eyebrow rose.

"Trust me, Sam," Ianto drawled. "My arse doesn't need watching."

Jason couldn't help but love the way that Ianto Jones said 'arse' instead of 'ass'. The extra letter drew out the single syllable word in an impossibly sexy way. It took a great amount of willpower to banish his arousal away.

"Fine," Sam snapped. "But if your Armani suit gets dirty, don't come crying to me, Import."

Ianto smirked as he set his coffee down. "I've seen far worse things than you can imagine. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Yeah, sure, sure," Miranda muttered. They really needed to go. Who knew what had come through? Hopefully just some junk but it could easily be something nasty.

"Let's just go," Jason said as he shoved Sam out the door. "If you're coming, then hurry it up, Jones."

Ianto flashed him a smile and brushed past him.

Jason had a bad feeling about this.

And three hours later he was right.

Jason had come to a conclusion. He concluded that he really hated Ianto Jones.

Everything had started out just fine. They had parked the van and hiked about a fourth of a mile into the woods where the Rift had been active. A group of reptilian bipedal aliens had chosen the spot to play war games. Using a Torchwood issued (and alien tinkered) translation device they had talked the aliens into finding a less inhabited planet for their sport. The aliens had apologized and agreed to leave. They had used a transportation device of their own to go back into the Rift and, presumably, back home. Mission accomplished. They should have congratulated each other on a job well done and headed on home.

Instead everything went to shit.

As the aliens were not a known species Ianto had insisted that they look for any clues as to what they had been. He wanted them to run scans of the area within a one-mile radius. Any thing that the aliens may have come into contact with was subjected to the scans and samples were taken. It took over two hours. They were all losing patience when Ianto insisted they explore a cave nearby. He said that there were traces of Rift activity. It was possible that the computers at the base had missed something.

They had all protested but he wouldn't listen.

"Jack would have taken a look as well."

In annoyance Jason had told the other two to finish and pack up the van so they could get ready to head out. He then followed Ianto and they got into a rather heated argument about the differences in the way they ran things.

"Quit comparing me to Harkness."

"I'm not. You're too sensitive."

"Fine. Quit comparing us to them."

"'Us'?"

"Bluemont and Cardiff. We're not incompetent, ya know?" Jason groused.

The cave was directly ahead. There were no signs of life so Ianto turned on a flashlight and stepped inside. He took a look around but other than dirt and rocks there was nothing out of the ordinary. He moved a few paces deeper and Jason started to follow him when the ground beneath his feet trembled.

He tumbled forward and fell against Ianto who let out a surprised cry.

They scrambled to their feet but it was too later. The mouth of the cave was closed off. There was nothing but the light in Ianto's hand to help them see in the darkness.

Jason cursed and dug his cell phone from his jeans pocket. He flipped it open and noted that he had no power. He touched his earpiece and was relieved to hear the crackle. He could at least call the others.

"Jason! Where are you?" Miranda said. "There was another spike and some sort of earthquake!"

"I know, Ianto and I are stuck in that damned cave he wanted to check out."

"Stuck? How?"

"Cave in. Come get us out." _Before I kill someone._

They'd hurried to see what they could do. Unfortunately the cave in was too much fir them to handle. They had no choice but to hurry back to base to get some more equipment.

That had been over an hour ago.

Now he was stuck sitting on the ground with only Ianto Jones for company. He wasn't scared. Jason had seen a lot of terrifying things in his life. He certainly wasn't afraid of the dark. No he wasn't afraid; he was pissed.

"This is _your_ fault." He couldn't take the silence.

"How do you figure that?"

"If you hadn't insisted on coming along, we'd've been back home ages ago." And he wouldn't be stuck in the dark with someone so tempting he was going crazy.

"I've not yet gone on any missions so I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to see what areas need to be improved."

"You fuckin' bastard!"

"There's no need to get so angry. After all, I'm just doing my job."

"It's not _what_ you're doing, it's _how_ you're doing it! Do you enjoy looking down your nose at us? Does it turn you on to piss me off?"

Ianto gave him a dirty look. His next words were filled with so much disgust that Jason almost believed him.

"Trust me, Monroe, there is _nothing_ about you that turns me on."

_Almost_. Almost didn't cut it though. Jason was not arrogant enough to see himself as God's gift to the world. He didn't get upset when he was rejected. Different people had different tastes. Shit happened. Big deal, life went on. If one person turned him down he could easily find three others just as hot who were perfectly happy jumping in bed with him.

No, what made Jason angry was the look in Ianto's eyes. His eyes and his mouth were saying two different things. His mouth said '_I hate you, go away_' but his eyes said '_I want you, fuck me now_.'

And Jason Monroe was not the sort of man to not take what was offered when it was something he wanted as well.

He let out a snarl and flung himself onto the slighter man.

Ianto cried out as he was pinned to the ground. He tried to wrench himself free and was stopped by the mouth that demanded -- no, forced its way past his own lips. The hot tongue hungrily ravaged Ianto's mouth while hard hands worked their way over his trembling body.

He was suddenly being given the very thing he'd wanted since he'd first seen the Torchwood leader almost three weeks ago.

_That_ was why he was trembling. He wanted Jason. He wanted him so very much it terrified him beyond any means.

_No, he's not Jack! I only want Jack!_

But that wasn't true. He had felt the first stirrings of sexual desire since his revival the day he had met Jason Monroe. The stirrings were so powerful that he had to concentrate hard to not throw himself at Jason every time they were alone. Jason made him feel so many things but mostly he made him feel safe. He wanted to feel Jason's arms around him; he wanted Jason to tell him it would be all right. It scared him.

Not being able to enjoy sexual stimulation had not bothered him before as he had wanted only to be with Jack but the Immortal was gone forever. Meeting Jason had sent a surge of heat through his body that had nearly overwhelmed him. His erotic dreams each night hadn't helped. It was only by sheer willpower that he had been able to keep his desire hidden.

It didn't make it any easier that Jason's talented hands and wicked tongue were bringing out his more sexual side. He was absolutely mortified to hear the way he moaned when Jason pulled away from his mouth to explore his neck. It was not like any moan he'd ever made before.

_Jack, think of Jack._ Oh gods, he tried to think of his lover and not the man on top of him. But it was so hard.

Jack used to say that people had two sides to themselves when it came to relationships. They had their sexual side and their rational side. The sexual was merely that; it only wanted satisfaction. The rational side was the part of a person that believed that there was more to a relationship than sex. A person had to learn how to balance the two to make things works

Ianto hadn't been very good at that. Now was the proof. Sexual Ianto was so busy comparing Jack to Jason that Rational Ianto had no choice but to surrender to the primal needs of both men.

Jason had his hands under Ianto's shirt. He could feel the other's arousal and smirked into the pale neck. He moved his hands down, tugging at Ianto's belt. All of his pent up sexual frustration was finally getting the outlet it needed. After all of his dreams, cold showers and head-meets-wall moments of the last few weeks the thing he wanted more than he had ever wanted anything in his entire li--

"Jason!" Sam called through the headset. "We're back!"

Jason pulled himself up and angrily straightened his clothes. He was angry because he was certain what would have happened had they not been interrupted.

Ianto looked at Jason and then covered his face with his hands. He would not cry. But as he listened to Jason talking to the others he couldn't help but feel despair at what had almost happened.

This could _not_ be happening.

~_~_~

The drive back into town had been tense and silent. Other than being covered in dirt Ianto and Jason had seemed fine. They assumed that the silence was because the two men had argued while trapped inside the cave and were now ignoring one another.

They were partly right. After all, they had argued. But it wasn't the argument that made them go mute.

Ianto had shut himself up in his office as soon as they returned to base. Jason did the same.

No one said anything about it. They figured that the two men would either work it out or choose to forget about it. Whatever it was.

Two hours past before Ianto emerged from his office. It was still early, not even two o'clock but the young man had his coat on and was making his way to the exit. No one said a word to him as he passed.

Jason watched him from a doorway. He could still feel and smell the younger man on him. It was driving him crazy. He knew that this could not continue. Something had to be done before they both went mad.

He turned back to his desk and slammed the door shut. He leaned against it and tried not to think about how comfortable Ianto's body had felt beneath him. It had been so familiar. He had known how to touch the other man.

He realized that Ianto was not going to make a move. If anything was to happen it was going to take a move from Jason to get it going.

But he had his rules. He never allowed himself to get involved with his coworkers. (There was just the one exception and the last time he'd seen her had been six months ago.) There were too many things that could go wrong. Too many consequences if it ended badly.

He growled and pushed away from the door. He paced around the room to try to clear his head.

That soft keening cry as he pinched a sensitive nipple.

A trembling body directly beneath his own.

Those full, pouty lips that had transfixed him from day one.

He yanked open his door.

"Everyone go home!" he barked.

No one wasted any time getting out the door. Within minutes Jason was alone in the base.

He waited two hours before he grabbed his coat and left, heading for Ianto's.

To hell with his rules.

~_~_~

The instant he walked into the apartment Ianto ripped off his clothes. He needed a shower.

He leant against the tiled wall and tried to reconcile his conflicting thoughts.

He loved Jack; he knew that in his heart. No matter how much time would pass he would always love the Immortal man. But he could not help the way his heart thudded against his chest whenever Jason was near (Thu-thump thu-thump). Nor could he control his body when he slept. So many times he had awaken to find his sheets twisted around his legs, sweat drenching his body as he was pulled from his carnal dreams.

It wasn't fair! He wouldn't be going through this now if Jack had never left.

Just because Jack was gone forever he would not betray him.

_You've loved two people at the same time before._

He had all ready fallen for Jack while trying to save Lisa. When he was making love to Jack he had often thought of Lisa. Slowly he had let go of his feelings for her and allowed himself to truly love Jack. Lisa had become a memory to be cherished. When he had been dying in Jack's arms he had been thinking of only his Captain.

_"Please let him go… You can make us forget…"_

_"I'll never forget you… I love you…"_

_"We'll be together one day… I'll find you…"_

He shook his head. These were not his memories. When he had been revived the doctors told him that the freezing process and the virus had mutilated his memory. These memories were not real.

Jack. He had to keep hope that one day Jack would come back to him. He would not allow himself to fall in love when there was a chance, however small, that his beloved Captain might want to be with him again. Maybe one day Jack would return and ask Ianto if they could start over.

And Jason… He was so much like Jack it scared him. He had been hurt before when Jack had left him. If he gave in to his temptation, would it all be a lie now too? Could he survive that?

_But he's impossible to resist…_

Ianto didn't know what to do. A part of him knew that while Jason was similar to Jack, he was also very different. He knew that his memories and emotions were clouding his head and confusing him. Jason wasn't Jack. Jason had been hurt deeply before. Ianto had read the man's file. He had been a devoted husband to his wife. It had only been after the divorce that Jason had changed his tune when it came to relationships. Jack had rarely allowed himself to get close enough to fall in love.

And if he believed Gwen, then Jack had never loved him. Jack had needed Ianto and had used his affections to manipulate him as necessary.

Maybe this connection, this desire he felt was the thing he needed to move on. Maybe he could use this as a means to an end. He could get the idea of love and happy endings out of his mind so he he then start fresh.

He finished his shower and pulled on jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt. He padded barefoot into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out a bottle of beer and tossed it back. He waited for the rush to subside and then he grabbed another bottle. He downed it as well before deciding that he needed to stop. Getting drunk was not the way to solve his dilemma. Right now he couldn't face the man who had aroused so many emotions and sensations within him. He needed to think, to calm himself down.

Tomorrow he would think about what to do.

Ianto picked up the book that lay on the bedside table. He took it over to the couch and settled himself down to read. He would forget his problems for now. A little over an hour later he was just finishing the book when the doorbell chimed.

He rose from his seat and set the book down. As he walked towards the door he let out a sigh.

He should have looked through the peephole. He may have been able to forget what happened in the cave if he had. Instead, Ianto was too exhausted and frustrated to think clearly. He twisted the doorknob and looked up to see the dark eyes of Jason Monroe looking back at him.

They stared at each other for several moments before it became too much for him to take. After years of no stimulation, the thought of going back to that was simply unacceptable. He would deal with the consequences tomorrow.

Ianto reached out and pulled Jason into the apartment. He gripped the back of Jason's head and pulled it down so that their lips met in a brutal kiss. Jason took over and crushed Ianto's body to him. He let his hands roam over the slender body as he kicked the door closed. When Ianto's hands began to unbutton Jason's shirt the older man growled and pulled back.

No way was he going to let Ianto run the show. Not after putting him through hell these last few weeks.

Jason lifted Ianto forcefully into his strong arms before he could protest. Ianto clutched at Jason's broad shoulders while the other man crossed the room with swift purposeful strides. This was something he'd never expected to experience. Jack had been a romantic but even he had never carried Ianto to bed.

Ianto looked up at Jason from the bed. Jason made short work of removing their clothes and kissed the panting mouth. He knew he was being rough but dammit he was more aroused, more excited than he had ever been with anyone. He was certain Ianto would have bruises on his arms as well tomorrow. He had to force himself to ease up the pressure, both of his lips and his hands, before he hurt his lover.

Lover. It had been years since he'd had a lover. He'd slept with a lot of people but had only done flings and one night stands since divorcing Kate. Yet here he was all ready thinking of claiming Ianto Jones as his lover fulltime.

And when Jason Monroe wanted something he did not give it up easily.

_Gentle, be gentle. It's been a long time for him. And you have the memory of Captain Jack Harkness to contend with._

He could do that. Hell, he wanted to. It wasn't as if he could forget that he was in Ianto's bed. If truth be told, he knew that he would find himself here again. The fact that Ianto had been Harkness' lover meant nothing to him. He would make Ianto forget Jack _Fuckin'_ Harkness if it was the last thing he did.

If he had to make sweet, desperate, passionate love to in order to make him forget, then so be it. He would do so. He would make love to Ianto.

_All. Night. L o n g._

Jason pressed his lover gently down on the bed. He kissed Ianto's sweaty forehead and slowly began to run his fingers over the naked flesh. He lightly sucked at the pale neck, drawing out the most exquisite of sounds. The sounds drew him in as he began his journey down the long, lean body. He only stopped when he reached the small puckered navel and he lavished it with his tongue.

"Jason…" whispered Ianto in a lilting voice.

He cherished every single sound, each word that was uttered from those kiss-bruised lips. Lips that were even now parted with pants and gasps and moans.

"Jason, please, I need you. Now!" Ianto bucked his hips and whimpered in need.

Jason sat up and placed his hands on Ianto's trembling thighs. He gently but firmly parted them and looked down at the arousal in his lover's eyes.

Ianto's eyes were a bright, intense blue.

He had been right. Ianto wanted him as much as he wanted Ianto. That alone made the tortuous foreplay worth it. He was going to take his time. He was going to make the gorgeous Welshman lying on the bed lose himself in complete abandon and total desire.

"Jason, take me now…" Ianto begged as he tried to pull Jason closer to him.

"Oh believe me, I will."

When Ianto let out a cry of ecstasy a few hours later Jason could not help but feel pleased. It had been _his_ name that had been torn from those beautiful lips _not_ Captain Harkness's.

He settled himself against his lover's body and wrapped his arms tight around him. He slowly drifted off to sleep.

Ianto opened his eyes as he felt Jason's breathing even out.

This couldn't be allowed to continue. He knew that. Jason might be angry, maybe embarassed but would soon realize that it was better this way.

He closed his eyes and awaited the nightmares. Tomorrow he would tell Jason that it had been a one time thing. Tomorrow he would turn his back on affection and love.

Tomorrow…

~_~_~

_July 1, 2014. Tuesday morning._

Twenty-three days had passed since Ianto Jones and Jason Monroe had first locked eyes on each other. It had been four days since they had slept together. It had been a painful three days since they had made the mutual decision to not do it again.

After they had awoken the morning after they had looked at each other in silence.

_"About last night… I'm sorry. I… lost control," Ianto said as he looked away._

_"Me too," Jason replied._

_"It won't happen again. I can assure you."_

Jason had then looked away.

That was the end of that. They had showered and gone to work. Each day they had as little physical contact as possible. They spoke only when necessary and only about work. It was frustrating. It was also all a lie.

Now Jason sat at his desk finishing up paperwork in an ineffective attempt to forget about the single most wonderful night of his life.

Yeah, they'd both lost control but it was something that he had been so willing to let go of. He didn't regret that night of passion at all; in fact he would give anything to be with Ianto again. If only Ianto felt the same way.

"Jason! Something's coming through the Rift!" Miranda shouted at the exact moment the alarms blasted.

He stood and strode from his office, gun in hand.

"Sam, Erin, you're with me."

"Me too."

Jason closed his eyes at the sound of the voice that only a few days ago had whispered so softly in his ear.

"Jason?"

"Fine," he said as he opened his eyes.

Ianto followed quickly and climbed into the front seat. Thankfully he kept his mouth shut as Jason steered the van out to the main road.

"Where?" Jason asked as he tries to ignore the man sitting next to him.

"One mile up then take an immediate left. It's about four miles that way."

"Location?"

"From the readings and the GPS," Erin said. "I'd say it's at the warehouse on Mallory Avenue."

"At least it's not moving," Sam said. "Any idea what it is?"

Miranda's voice came over the comm. unit. "No, none. All we know is that it's alive."

"Boost the signal to the satellite. See if you can get us visual."

"Susan says she'll try but the warehouse isn't in the ideal location for that."

"Keep trying. We'll contact you as soon as we get there," Jason said before cutting the link.

The entire drive took just a few minutes and then Jason parked outside the decrepit warehouse.

"Miranda, anything?" Jason asked.

"No. Nothing, sorry."

"Okay. Not the first time we've gone in blind. Get back to your own work. If we need backup, I'll holler."

"Be careful."

"Always am."

"Asshole."

"Work."

Jason smirked as he once more severed the link. He checked his gun and looked over to see the other three doing the same thing. His gaze lingered on Ianto.

"Alright, let's split up. Sam, Ianto, go left. Erin and me will go right."

"It's 'Erin and I', if you please," Ianto murmured.

"Not the time or place for a grammar lesson, Ianto."

"Yes sir."

Jason's jaw clenched. Why was it so damned difficult? He'd had one-night stands dozens of times. Why was this one so different?

"Let's go. Comm. units on; if you see anything, shout."

They turned and went their separate ways.

None of them noticed the figure in the tree, watching them.

~_~_~

"You're quiet."

"Shut up and focus, please, Sam."

"Just making conversation."

"Right. Consider it made."

"Don't like me, do you?"

"You're the one who's made it clear that you feel I stole your job from you."

"You did."

"No, I was made to take it on."

"Same thing."

"Alright you two. If it's not alien related, I don't wanna hear it."

Sam and Ianto both looked chastened at the sound of Jason's voice over the comm. They continued walking in silence.

Until a thing fell from the sky and landed on top of Ianto.

"Holy shit!" Sam staggered back. "Jason! Get yer ass over here!"

If Jason replied, Sam didn't hear; he was too busy trying to get a clear shot at the thing that had Ianto pinned to the ground.

It was humanoid and big. That was all the detail he could pick out. His main concern was getting it off Ianto.

When Ianto screamed, Sam really thought that the younger man was going to die.

BANG.

The alien fell back and rolled away from Ianto. Ianto, for his part, lay panting on the ground face down. There was blood on his left arm.

"Ianto!"

Jason rushed to his side while the other two carefully checked the alien. He rolled Ianto over and carefully lifted him onto his lap.

"Jenny, Ianto's been injured," Jason said over the comm.

"What kind of injury?"

"Bite wound on his arm. There's only a little blood but we don't know what kind of germs this thing could have."

"Any idea what it is?"

He could picture Jenny at her desk flipping quickly through the paper and digital files for aliens that left bite marks. She was possibly the most diligent member of the team.

"No," Sam said from his position next to the alien. "Never seen it before. Jason took it down with a single bullet though."

"There's some sort of greenish mucus around the bite," Jason added as he cradled the unconscious form to him. It worried him that Ianto had passed out. That was never a good sign.

"So it's dead? Bring it back with you. The autopsy room is ready."

Jason stood, Ianto still in his arms, and headed back towards the van. He got Ianto settled in the front and headed back with bindings and a tarp. The three of them bound the alien and carried it back to the van. They placed it in the back and climbed inside.

Jason drove as quickly as he could without breaking the speed limit and parked inside the alley.

"You two get that thing. I'll take Ianto."

It took a few minutes to get everything situated but finally Jenny was able to look at the mark on Ianto's arm. She took a sample of the mucus and carefully cleaned the wound.

"Well, it doesn't appear to be infected. We'll have to wait for the autopsy results to be sure."

"So why hasn't he woken up?" Jason asked. The concern was obvious in his voice.

"Probably shock. Or it could be directly related to his weakened immune system."

"His what?"

"Think about it Jason," Jenny said as she scrubbed her hands clean. "He was infected with an alien virus, frozen at the brink of death, left frozen longer than recommended for a living person, unthawed and then poked and prodded at while he was still brain dead. Not to mention that he was experimented on while recovering from the multiple traumas." She looked up at Jason and sighed. "Have you even read through the report UNIT gave us on his condition?"

"No." Okay, now he felt stupid. "Anything else I should know?"

"Besides the fact that you're an idiot? Well, his body temperature is lower than ours and he's anemic. He gets cold easily, which is why he wears a coat even in the summer, and tires quickly."

Jason looked down at the still figure and sighed. He hadn't known any of that. He had all of the important medical information in everyone's files memorized in case of emergency. Yet he had neglected, out of spite, to read the files on Ianto. This was something that he would fix immediately.

"Keep me posted." He nodded at her and walked to his office. Once he was seated he called up Ianto's medical file on his computer and got to work.

~_~_~

Later that afternoon Ianto awoke with a pounding headache. He slowly sat up and stifled a groan as the movement caused his head to hurt even more. He reached down and rubbed at his stomach.

Oh shit.

His eyes squeezed shut, he touched his stomach again. Nope, he was right. Oh God…

"Oh my God!"

"My thoughts as well," he said dryly as he opened his eyes to look at Dan.

Dan, for his part, gaped in shock as he took in the sight of Ianto's stomach. He closed his mouth and opened it again.

"JENNY! JASON!"

"Not so loud…" Ianto groaned, head in his hands.

"What is it? Oh my…"

Jason caught hold of the doorframe to keep from running Jenny over. He looked up and stared.

Ianto was pregnant.

"What the hell…"

There was a flurry of movement as they tried to figure out what to do. Dan ran to the autopsy room while Jason and Jenny hurried to Ianto's side. They forced him to lie back so they could examine him.

"Here's the results," Dan said as he rushed back in.

He handed the folder to Jenny who opened it and scanned the pages. A photograph fell out and landed next to Ianto.

Ianto picked up the picture and stared at it. He recognized this organ. Memories flooded back to him as he stared at the purple mass.

Gwen's wedding day. Owen and Jack explaining to him what a proteus gland was. Man-eating, shape-shifting penguins not found on greeting cards.

"Nostrovite… Oh no."

"Ianto?"

"It's a Nostrovite. Think of it as a man-eating shape shifting penguin, only not so cute," he added as they looked at him.

"You've seen this before?" Jenny asked.

"Once. At Torchwood Cardiff on Gwen's wedding day." Ianto sat up and winced as the egg inside him pressed down on his bladder. "The males carry an egg inside their mouths and bite a suitable, or as in this case convenient, host to carry the egg to term. The female then waits for the birth and cheerfully rips open the host."

"Any idea how to stop it?"

After the wedding fiasco Jack had insisted that Ianto research Nostrovites in the event that there would be more. Torchwoods III and IV had encountered several over the years so there was a great deal of information. Unfortunately, Ianto knew he didn't have a lot of time.

"The females aren't easily killed. Once the eggs are implanted they go into a sort of extreme mothering mode that we discovered makes them nearly invincible. Normal childbirth generally takes several hours."

Jason spoke up saying, "Why do I sense a 'however' in there?"

"Because the ideal hosts are female. I'm male. Obviously." Ianto glanced down at his watch and did some calculations in his head. "I've already been pregnant for over two hours. Nice work on getting that autopsy done so quickly, by the way."

"It's not," Dan said. "I, uh, stole the folder from Tamara as Shaina was still cutting the guy up. Lots of rank congealed blood getting in the way…"

"Thanks. Didn't need to hear that," Ianto said, his face turning a little green. "Anyway, with me being male, the egg will probably rupture and the baby die before it reaches full-term. The female will already be on the way here. She'll have excellent tracking skills and will fight anyone who gets in her way."

An alarm sounded. The alarm from the office upstairs.

They all turned to look at the base interior.

"Bobby, cameras."

On the screen they saw a woman standing before the broken glass of the office window.

"Is anyone up there?" Ianto asked.

"No," Sam said. Everyone who's scheduled to be here today is in the base."

"Jason, she'll kill anyone who tries to stop her. We have to blow her up. Normal guns will be useless at this point," Ianto said.

"So what do we do?"

"Help me up." Ianto glared at his leader. "Look, it's me she wants. Get everyone else downstairs and lock the door behind them. As strong as she is, I doubt she'll be able to get that door open."

"I'm not leaving you to fend for yourself," Jason snapped.

"Jason--"

"Sam, gather the others and lock yourselves downstairs. Wait for my signal."

"Jason, listen to me!" Ianto said. "It can alter its appearance to look like any one of us."

"It copies looks, not memories, correct?"

"Well, yes, but--"

"Sam, wait for my signal. You know the drill."

"Yep," Sam replied cheerfully. "If I don't hear from you in twenty minutes, the whole place goes into lockdown and we have two minutes to get out."

"Good. Now go."

Jason turned to Ianto as the others hurried to safety.

"Okay, what do we need to do to stop this thing?"

"Normal weapons won't work! You need to leave, Jason."

"Just because we're not Torchwood Cardiff doesn't mean that we don't have resources. Wait here."

Ianto chewed his lip as Jason ran out the door. Jason wasn't like Jack; if the female Nostrovite killed him, he wouldn't be able to get back up. And that was the last think that Ianto wanted.

Clanging and snarling interrupted his thoughts and he quickly (or as quickly as he could considering) slid off of the examination table. He waddled towards the door and peeked out. Judging from the way the main door was dented Ianto surmised that the female was right outside. This meant that they had maybe five minutes before she got through. That particular door was not as strong as the door that led downstairs. Downstairs was where the alien specimens were contained. That door, as well as the one that led to the alley, was made of a heavy industrial strength metal that weighed a ton. God, he really needed to pee. Damn egg. Where was Jason?

CLANG.

Ianto closed his eyes. He wasn't afraid of dying; it was the return to the darkness that he couldn't handle.

"Okay, let's see…"

"Jason! You're back!"

Jason raised his eyebrows and looked at him.

"Did you think I abandoned you?"

Ianto looked away. "I had hoped."

Jason forgot about the alien threat outside. He stared at Ianto's face. He was right. That night of passion had _not_ been a mistake. Ianto wanted him too. Now all he needed to do was figure out what he'd done wrong and fix it.

"It's coming through!"

With a snarl of his own, Jason moved to kneel in front of Ianto. He sifted through the bag he'd brought with him until he found what he was looking for.

"Jason…"

The female tore through the door. Her razor sharp teeth bared, she looked wildly about the room. She stopped when she saw the two humans in the doorway.

"My baby. Give it to me."

"Normally I would, but that would mean giving you one of my team mates as well. Not gonna happen. Not on my shift."

The female growled and started to tear at the nearest workstation.

Ianto placed a trembling hand on Jason's broad shoulder. Jason wasn't like Jack. He could easily be killed. That thought alone brought unshed tears to his eyes.

The larger man stood and pulled Ianto into the medical bay. He held up a small sphere and tossed it at the female Nostrovite. She turned and looked down at the small device as Jason slammed the door shut.

"Ianto, get down, now!"

Ianto felt Jason pin him to the ground in the far corner of the room. He clutched at the muscled torso as the whole building shook. The explosion knocked equipment off the counters and shattered glass. It was all they could do to shield their faces from harm as they waited for the rocking to subside. When it finally stopped, Jason pulled away to look at Ianto.

"What was that?"

"Short range grenade. A gift from a soldier of the 36th century. I programmed it to seek out a non-human life form and it automatically set the blast radius." Jason grinned at the incredulous look he received. "You said to blow her up."

"But all the equipment!"

"Standard procedure when there's an alien threat inside the base. Sam and the others transferred the entire Torchwood server, programs and databases, to the back up system in the basement. The equipment might be ruined, but the server is safe."

"Standard procedure is lockdown," Ianto said with a frown.

"Maybe for Torchwood UK, but not Torchwood America. Quit comparing the two."

"I'm not. I'm surprised. And pleased. A normal lockdown can takes hours to remedy."

"I know," Jason said as he helped him up. "That's why we Americans worked out our own standard procedures. Now you wait here while I go check that she's dead."

"No, I'll go too. If she'd not dead then you'll need help."

"Fine. Stay by the door. Here's another grenade. Don't touch the blue button until you're about to throw it."

They walked to the door and Jason pushed it open to reveal the trashed interior of the base. Computer terminals, chairs and miscellaneous equipment had been tossed everywhere. Lying amidst a broken monitor and several cables was the lower half of the female Nostrovite. The upper half hung from the rafters; a look of shock was frozen on her almost human face.

"It worked," Ianto said softly. "Mmmh…" He pressed his hand against his stomach and bit his lip. "Jason…"

"Sam, your girl just called. Something about you being 'the biggest dick' she ever met."

Ianto looked up and chuckled.

"I don't doubt it. All my exes would agree. We're on the way up."

"Good. Jenny, we need to get this egg out of Ianto. We'll be in the medical bay waiting."

"Got it. See you in a minute."

Jason turned back to Ianto. He couldn't help but smile as he took in the bulge of the other man's stomach. Too bad that human males couldn't really get pregnant. Ianto carried the extra weight well. And he looked sexy as hell too.

~_~_~

"No."

"Ianto, that egg is going to rupture soon."

"I don't care. You are _not_ cutting me open."

Jenny folded her arms across her chest and scowled.

"So what would you suggest? A _laxative_?"

"Haha. Don't you have a singularity scalpel somewhere?" He was desperate. Ever since his unthawing he had been afraid of surgery. For fun, his appendix had been removed and he had nearly bled to death as a result. While he was wide awake. No, he did not like being operated on.

"I don't even know what that is, so no. Now lie down."

"No."

"Jason!"

Their leader walked into the room and frowned.

"Now what?"

"He refuses to let me operate."

Jason looked at the patient. "Ianto…" He had read Ianto's files. It was easy to see that the younger man wasn't simply being stubborn; he was terrified.

"No, Jason…"

"Yes. Jenny is going to operate. If that thing should manage to be born, it could kill dozens of people. She is going to operate and I promise, you won't wake up until after."

Ianto's eyes were wide with fear and… something. Was that trust? Affection?

"Jason…" Ianto's voice was reduced to a whimper.

"And I'll be right here, the entire time. I'll make sure that you stay asleep."

Yes, it was trust. Ianto trusted him to keep him safe. He'd be damned if he let him down now.

"You promise? You'll be here the entire time?"

"Yes I will. I promise."

Something flashed in those bright blue eyes. Pain mingled with warmth. The trust was easy to see now that he was looking for it.

Jason gently pushed him down onto the operating table. He placed the facemask over Ianto's mouth and nose and took hold of a shaky, sweaty hand as he watched the other man drift off.

He stood there the entire time it took to remove and dispose of the Nostrovite egg. Not once did he even consider leaving the room. He would wait until Ianto woke up.

Oh, how hard he'd fallen.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Control

July 29, 2014. Tuesday afternoon. Torchwood Base.

Shelly sat on the couch eating her lunch while she watched Jason and Ianto as they pretended to ignore each other. It was both fascinating and annoying.

Jason was leaning over Miranda's shoulder discussing something about the report she was working on and Ianto was going over some readings with Susan. Ianto's eyes kept flicking over to Jason's back while Jason ignored him. Only when Ianto focused on his work did Jason look at him. The dark eyes were fixed onto the other man and burned with something that made Shelly ask herself, 'so when did this happen?'

It was so painfully obvious that there was something happening between the two men. Obvious if one cared to look, that is. And Shelly was looking.

It had been almost a month since Ianto had been impregnated with the Nostrovite egg. He'd been forced to take two weeks off to recover and still moved a little slow, gingerly touching his stomach with each step.

It was hard to believe that Ianto had been a member of the Bluemont team for nearly two months. No one had truly accepted him yet but they were all trying their best to make nice with him.

_Apparently Jason's doing more than 'making nice'_, she mused thoughtfully as she nibbled on her sandwich.

"Jason!" Jenny called as she hurried up from the medical bay. "The perimeter alarm for the Squids just went off."

Jason turned from his 'Ianto watching' to face the medic.

"Probably just some hikers but we'd better check it out."

"Squids?" Ianto came to stand beside Jenny and across from Jason. The tension in his crossed arms spoke volumes to Shelly. Oh yeah, definitely something going on with them.

Jason forced himself to look Ianto in the eyes and replied, "Aliens that fell through the Rift eight years ago. They look like squids only with feathers and they live in pond water."

"Herbivorous and gentle," Jenny added as she gathered up a small travel medical kit and her jacket. "They're the size of a housecat and very afraid of humans. They'll only attack if their young are endangered. Their only defenses are a skunk like odor, feathers with a poison that only numbs for a few minutes and the ability to shape-shift for short periods."

"So what's the problem?" Ianto asked as he rubbed at the back of his neck. It was a nervous habit he had that Shelly noticed him doing a lot whenever Jason was around.

"Humans tend to destroy what they don't understand," Jason said. "We set up a small area as close to their natural habitat as we could figure based on tests and put it under our protection. The area is off-limits but sometimes people wander into it anyway. Hence the alarms."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just a routine check. We've tagged the aliens. There are twenty-seven as of two months back. Since the aliens are friendly we study them through observation and other tests." Jason now pocketed his gun. "Basically, we need to be sure that no human has found them." He looked at his second. It had been a while since the young man had been able to go out in the field. This was just a routine check. Not much chance of anything going wrong. "Care to come along?"

Ianto unfolded his arms and smiled a bit. "Let me get my coat."

Shelly beamed and bit into her sandwich.

Oh yeah, definitely something going on.

~_~_~

Ianto really didn't like the outdoors. It reminded him of the Brecon Beacons and the cannibals.

At least this time everything seemed to go all right. There was no sign of anything amiss. After counting the brown squid aliens they would be ready to leave. Definitely more routine than the other field missions he'd gone on.

Ianto stood from his crouch at the edge of the pond and started to wander around a bit. He needed to stretch his legs before they fell off. He ran a hand over a tree trunk and looked up. His hand shielded his eyes from the sun and he had to admit, it was lovely out here.

"Ianto!"

Jason slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. Before he could recover enough to find out what had happened he heard voices shouting, Jenny's voice the loudest.

"You okay?" Jason asked as he looked down at him. It was so like that day in the cave, what with Ianto pressed on the rough ground beneath him. If only they were in a secluded area and alone…

Breathlessly, Ianto replied, "Wind knocked outta me, but yes. What happened?" He rubbed at his still tender stomach and grimaced.

"Stupid four-wheelers. Didn't read the signs that state this is private property. Damn near ran you over and were about to run Jenny down too."

Ianto stared up at him in surprise. Then he laughed.

"And here I thought that the world was ending!"

Jason scowled and climbed off of him.

"See if I rescue _you_ again," he muttered.

Ianto climbed to his feet, his hands clutched at his stomach, and smiled. The smile vanished when he saw the blood.

"Jason, your shoulder… You're bleeding!"

Jason looked down and saw the wound. "Just a scratch. Barely even feel it." It was the truth. Probably happened when he hit the tree Ianto had been standing by.

"Still, we need to clean and dress it before it gets infected. Where's Jenny?"

"Lecturing the bikers about trespassing and the consequences."

"Where's her medical bag?" Ianto began to fuss over the wound.

"Ianto, it's just a scratch. I'm fine."

Ianto looked up at him. His eyes were dark with concern.

"Of course. Just a scratch. Never mind."

Jason frowned as Ianto turned away, hurt clear in his eyes.

"Okay! You two ready to go?" Jenny asked as she rejoined them. She buttoned her jacket and smoothed her hair back into place. "What'd you do, Hero? Fall down while rescuing Damsel here?"

"Ha. Ha." Jason took out his car keys. "Let's get outta here."

~_~_~

The rest of the day passed in silence. Jason and Ianto both sat at their desks and worked on reports while pretending to ignore each other. When the day finally came to an end Jason watched as Ianto made a beeline for the door. Not even a goodbye.

Jason hadn't been thrilled when Ianto said he regretted their night of passion. In fact, he had wanted to continue what they had experienced. He had never experienced anything like he had that night. It was as if he _knew_ Ianto's body. Every single touch had been instinctive and dead-on. It had more than lived up to his imagination and expectations.

Now Ianto was pretending that it didn't matter. He was also pretending that Jason's reaction earlier that day hadn't hurt him.

This could not be allowed to continue.

The last few weeks had been rather pleasant to say the least. Ianto had been confined to bed the first few days after his surgery and Jason had come by once a day with home cooked meals and helped Ianto as needed. Even after Jenny had said that he could move about Jason had still been there helping him. Once he'd returned to work Jason had seen to it that Ianto's workload was lessened until he was fit for field duty. He also made a point of checking in on the other man throughout the day. He had thought that they were making progress, that Ianto trusted him.

What had happened to make Ianto change his mind? It was obvious that they wanted to be together so why weren't they? Was it because they were both emotionally messed up from previous bad relationships? So what! They could overcome it. Jason was not going to let this go. He couldn't.

He grabbed his jacket and keys as he headed out the door. He drove to his house where he took a shower and changed into dark jeans with a white button down shirt. He started to reach for his cologne but stopped with his fingers on the cap. More than a few people had told him that he had an amazing personal scent and didn't need anything to enhance the smell. He wondered if Ianto thought so as well.

_Might as well find out_, he thought as he ran down the stairs and out the door.

Jason drove with only one intention in mind. He needed to see Ianto. He needed to talk to the younger man and try to find out if he was right. If he was and Ianto did want to be with him, then he would do whatever it took to get Ianto to take him back. He really didn't know what he was going to do if he was wrong.

He needed to see Ianto. He needed to see him _now_.

~_~_~

Ianto rubbed tiredly at his face. It had been a very long day for him. While he had enjoyed seeing the Squids he had not enjoyed the resurgence of his desire for Jason. This was bad. This was very, very bad.

He regretted sleeping with Jason. Oh, it had been enjoyable. There had been almost none of the awkwardness that accompanied most first times. In fact, it had been the best first time of the three first times he had experienced. With Lisa, they had both been virgins and hesitant. Jack had nearly overwhelmed him with his presence and experience and he had felt virginal once again.

But Jason had made him feel the way he had felt towards the end of his relationship with Jack. The confidence had come so easily after the initial kisses. The caresses and strokes had seemed based on instinct, as if Jason and he had coupled before.

He didn't understand any of it.

His regret at his actions had not been solely due to his feelings for Jack. In all honesty it was not fair to Jason for Ianto to sleep with him, to lead him on, when he was still harboring his love for the Immortal. Jason was not the sort of person who would put up with having to share his partner, even just in spirit. Now while Ianto doubted that Jack would ever change his mind and return to Earth, to him, he still could not help how he felt.

But Jason…

Jason _wanted_ him. And Ianto returned that desire. Ianto wanted Jason so bad it hurt to be in the same room as him. It wasn't fair.

A knock at the door interrupted his dismal thoughts. He slowly stood and made his way to the door. He recalled the other time that Jason had come to his door. It was a few weeks back but still so fresh in his memories. He knew if he opened the door now what would happen. He couldn't allow it to happen. Not a second time.

the door opened and he stared at Jason.

"Ianto."

"Jason. Did you want something?"

"Yeah. You." Jason stepped into the room and closed the door. He looked right into Ianto's eyes. He reached out and cupped Ianto's cheek in his hand.

"Jason…" Ianto breathed in a whisper, his eyes wide and darkened by desire.

"I want you," Jason murmured. He bent his head and kissed Ianto.

Ianto wanted to cry. Jason really _did_ want him. This was so different from Jack. Jack had needed to keep an eye on him, to keep Ianto subservient. But Jason _wanted_ him.

If he didn't reject Jason now that he would wake up next to the man again. But Ianto knew that he wasn't strong enough to resist. So he didn't even bother to try. As Ianto pulled Jason closer to him, he pressed himself against the other man's body. He knew Jason could feel his arousal against his leg.

They stumbled to the bed, hands tugging at buttons and zippers as they moved. By the time Jason was pressing Ianto down onto the mattress they were naked, sweating and aching with need. Ianto couldn't stand it any longer. He reached around and grabbed Jason's ass in an attempt to pull him even closer. He wanted to feel Jason inside him once more. He lifted his hips and pressed his pelvis into the other man, begging him to see what Ianto wanted and to give it to him. Jason let out a throaty chuckle and kissed along Ianto's jaw and his throat. His large hands moved all over the quivering body he'd dreamt about these last few weeks. Now that he had him, he was never going to let him go.

Ianto gasped as Jason reached between his thighs and applied just the right amount of pressure to make him see stars. Sweat beaded on their skin as they continued their explorations using tongues and hands and eyes.

Jason's nipples were very sensitive, Ianto was pleased to learn. He latched onto one with his mouth and sucked eagerly. He ran his trembling hands down the well-defined torso and cupped the hard length firmly.

That was all it took for Jason to decide that enough was enough. He let out a growl and parted Ianto's thighs. Jason had a secret that helped in his lovemaking. Whenever he was extremely aroused, like now, his body produced a natural lubricant that secreted through the pores of his member. Preparation needed was minimal for his lover as his own body took care of that. And so, with one smooth, gentle thrust he sank his entire length into Ianto.

They quickly found their rhythm; it was as natural as the touches. Jason lifted one long leg over his shoulder and Ianto pulled him down for a hungry kiss. Their eyes remained opened and locked on to each other's faces. They continued to move as one, not able to focus on anything except each other.

That was the way it went for the next few hours. The only thing that was different was that Ianto wasn't the only one crying out his lover's name.

Jason cradled Ianto to him as the younger man slept. They were both spent and tired but Jason was unable to sleep. Instead he held his young lover in his arms and simply watched him.

He had Ianto back in his arms. He was back in Ianto's bed, where he knew he belonged. Jason could feel his heart leave him as he held Ianto as close as physically possible. If only Ianto knew just how much Jason needed him. If only he knew the control he had over Jason.

If only he knew that Jason Monroe had all ready fallen in love with him.

~_~_~

_August 15, 2014. Friday morning. Torchwood safe house above grocer._

It had been sixty-eight days since Ianto Jones had first set foot inside the base of operations for Torchwood Bluemont. It had been thirty-three days since Ianto and Jason had first slept together. It had been eighteen days since they had slept together and agreed to try to make a relationship between them work.

They both knew it would not be easy. Then again, they worked for a secret special ops organization that combated alien threats every single day. Nothing worthwhile was ever truly easy.

Ianto lay in bed with his head on Jason's chest trying to gain an understanding of where his life was headed. He was trying to simply live his life, no matter where it took him, especially as it was becoming whatever it wanted to be without his approval. He did not allow himself to dwell on the '_what ifs_' and the '_shoulda coulda woulda's_' of his previous life but instead he focused on his developing relationship with Jason. This meant that every night for about two weeks he had fallen asleep next to Jason after a round of incredible, intense, extremely acrobatic sex. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was the most comfortable and felt the most safe that he ever had in his entire life.

But that also meant that he was slowly moving on from Jack. And that single idea terrified him. Not the fact that he was able to get over the pain of loss, no, that was a good thing. The reason it terrified him was that he was starting to fall hard for the man lying beneath him.

Ianto could not afford to fall in love with Jason. Jason Monroe was in many ways so much like Jack Harkness. Both men's mere presence filled up the room the instant they entered. They both commanded respect and loyalty from their teams and worked diligently to defend and prepare the Earth from the future. The personalities of both men dwarfed those of everyone around them.

His relationship with Jason was similar to the one he'd had with Jack.

Jason overwhelmed Ianto's every sense and drove him mad with anxiety and desire. And the sex -- it was _amazing_. It was as innovative and _avant-garde_ as he was used to with Jack. Jason took the personal satisfaction of his younger lover very seriously. Indeed Ianto's sexual needs were very important to the older man. Whenever Jason touched him, Ianto reacted much as he had reacted to Jack's touch. Jason refused to allow Ianto to remain silent and docile in bed. Instead Ianto's very talented lover used his own experience and knowledge to drag every possible sound out of Ianto's mouth.

Never had he been so vocal so quickly. It had taken Jack several weeks to get Ianto to loosen up enough to even moan, let alone talk dirty. Jason had accomplished that feat in a fraction of the time.

Although this new relationship was similar to his previous one, it was also very _different_ from the one before.

At Cardiff, everyone had known that Jack and Ianto were sleeping together. Owen had made more than a few nasty comments about it. Ianto truly believed that since he and Jack had been so open about their attractions and affections that they had inadvertently made things worse. They had flaunted the fact that they had sex in the Hub and had rarely apologized for making anyone uneasy about it. The whole relationship had been a bit of a joke, he could see that now. He had protested when Owen called him a part-time shag but almost never stood up for himself when he saw the way that Jack had pined for Gwen and reinforced Owen's claims. Perhaps it would have been better if he had let Jack go before she could marry Rhys. It would have been hard and would have hurt like hell but maybe it would have been worth it in the end. Jack would never have been as happy with Ianto as he would have been with Gwen. No, Jack wouldn't have had to pretend.

Ianto had helped fuel the belief that his relationship with Jack was a casual affair instead of one based on love and trust. Gwen had warned him several times, most notably outside of _Jackson Leaves_, that Jack was not the relationship type. He knew that when he had first pulled out that stopwatch. He had hoped he would be able to indulge in guiltless sex without feeling attached to his part-time lover and knew he had no one to blame but himself for falling so hard. He had known deep inside that he could not give his body to anyone without giving away his heart too. It was a complete package; there was no _á la carte_ on the menu.

That was why he and Jason had discussed how to deal with their relationship while at work. They had strict boundaries in order for them to keep Torchwood and their sex life separate. They went into full work mode while on Torchwood time. If they were called in they immediately fell back to their Leader/Second in Command roles without fail. They worked quickly and efficiently to investigate Rift activity, help out lost and scared aliens and scavenge alien technology.

Romance was not meant for work hours. They did none of the things that Ianto and Jack had done. No intimate touches or stolen kisses in dark corners. No sneaking off into one or the other's office to "work" while really engaging in a brief hook-up. No exchange of steamy text messages or heated glances that promised so much pleasure later.

No one at Bluemont suspected that they did not still loath each other with the passion of a raging storm. They kept work and romance separate. It was not easy but it also made their private time more intimate and special.

As alike as his two lovers were, Ianto did not want a carbon-copied version of what he'd had with Jack. It was not fair to anyone involved, be it past or present.

Jason had experienced the dark side of love with his failed marriage and had only permitted himself to have flings and brief affairs ever since the divorce. Being in a committed relationship after so long was daunting to the older man. Ianto himself, as he had told Gwen before, did not do casual. It simply wasn't in him. He gave himself completely to his partners and couldn't bear the thought of them being with anyone but him. That was why it had been relatively easy for him to avoid any sort of romantic entanglement with Jack while Lisa was still alive. His feelings for Jack had been there since their first meeting but his devotion to Lisa had overshadowed all of that. He had flirted just enough to keep Jack's attention on him and away from the secret in the basement. After Lisa died he had been able to return the attention and had given himself to Jack, although it had taken a while to truly get over losing Lisa.

Now he was involved with Jason Monroe.

Jason was different from Jack in many ways. His reactions to Ianto and the things he did were so opposite of Jack. He couldn't help but wonder if it had been _Jason_ at Cardiff when Lisa was found if he would have killed Ianto for his deception. Would there have been a second chance for Ianto under Jason Monroe's authority?

He had no doubt that Jack Harkness and Jason Monroe would not get along if they had been pushed together. Both leaders were fierce alpha males who would sooner die than lose to one another.

Ianto knew that it was time for him to move on. He could do so now, without having to give up or forgetting his love for Jack. He could now accept the fact that Jack was gone for good. The Immortal would not be returning to Earth to take him away from all of the pain and emptiness of this mortal life. Even if Jack had not abandoned him to return to his own time and wanted nothing to do with him or Torchwood he would have been able to figure that out. He wasn't sure if he was meant to be with Jason forever but he was not going to sully a good thing. His feelings and desires for the other man were the first things to make him feel truly alive since his unthawing just over two years ago.

There was something else about this new relationship that made him determined to make it work. Since they had officially gotten together two weeks back, no nightmares had come to him while he slept next to Jason. His dreams of the darkness and lost chances seemed to have taken leave. These last several days he had gotten enough sleep to actually feel rested each day (Shelly had commented on his more relaxed, fresh-faced appearance and the diminished circles beneath his eyes).

The relationship came out in full force when they were alone. He refused to back away from his feelings for Jason; instead he met them straight on. He was terrified and exhilarated at the same time. There was nothing Ianto could do but submit to his raw desires when he was alone with Jason. Jason was not abusive or demanding but his dominance over Ianto had been established that first night. He was in complete control. This did not mean that Ianto had reason to fear his lover; instead he embraced what he had been given. At first Ianto had been intimidated by the intense power Jason had over him. He had wanted to avoid that trap again. But the truth of the matter was that in actuality it was _Ianto_ who had allowed the other man to take control of him. He had not only begged Jason to take his body, he had pleaded with Jason to take hold of his soul.

Jason demanded that Ianto tell him what he wanted each night. He had learned quickly exactly what sort of touches would get what sort of response. He had catalogued every sound that Ianto made as well as what each twitch of his body or expression on his face meant. He would go gentle and slow or hard and fast depending on what shade of blue his lover's eyes were or by the way he tilted his head and bit his lip. He didn't know why he wanted Jason to assert control, he was just grateful that Jason was willing to do it. He put Ianto's sexual pleasure far above his own and strove every night to satisfy his young lover. Ianto had no complaints.

That was the why and how of Jason Monroe's power over Ianto Jones.

Ianto had once thought that he would get married, have a family and lead a normal life. Then came Canary Wharf, the Daleks and the Cybermen. Lisa had been lost that day. The he met Jack. After that, his life had spiraled completely out of control.

And yet he regretted nothing about his relationship with Jack. He had understood from the beginning that he would never have been able to have all of Jack. It wasn't Jack's fault that he could grow old or never die. Ianto had never kidded himself that Jack would stay with him until he himself had grown old and died. That would never have happened, even if Jack had cared. Jack would have left him when the wrinkles and gray hair came. He knew and had accepted it when he learned of Jack's immortality.

He had even told Jack that. When Jack had been attacked by the deadline coma he had told Jack that he knew that he would not hang around to watch Ianto age. He knew that Jack would eventually tire of Ianto's limitations and leave him for someone younger. It would have been upsetting to watch his lover's body change so drastically while he remained the same.

Perhaps that was why he had waited so long to tell Jack he loved him. Jack had always known that Ianto would die one day. Why add to the pain and guilt by confessing something that Jack probably was afraid to return, even if he did feel the same? He idly wondered if Jack would have stayed with Gwen had they gotten together. Then he decided that it didn't matter. The jealousy, the uncertainity; _none_ of it mattered anymore. Neither of them was in his life anymore. They didn't exist in his new world. That part of his life was finished. He did not regret being involved with Captain Jack Harkness. No, his regrets were that he had allowed himself to get too attached to someone he couldn't ever deserve. Jack was so far above him that Ianto knew he would never have been enough. He had never had any real claim on Captain Jack Harkness's heart.

Too bad he couldn't stop himself from falling once again for someone he had no right to fall for. Jason Monroe was also someone who deserved much more than what he himself could be.

He had fallen so hard, so fast for Jason. He was afraid that Jason, like Jack, would see him as just a body to keep his bed warm at night. That he was merely a stopgap between his wife and the one he would eventually settle down with. Ianto would do whatever he had to do in order to keep Jason's attention. The thing that kept him going this time was that he was not about to regret his feelings a second time. This time he would embrace them wholeheartedly.

Jason had so much control over him. He just hoped it didn't destroy him.

~_~_~

A smile graced Jason's face as he felt Ianto trace mindless patterns on his chest with a finger. He was amazed at the direction his life had taken in the last two weeks. He had known that first night he had taken Ianto that he would never be satisfied with Ianto being a one-night stand or weekend fling. He wanted more from the Welshman than to just shamelessly satisfy his body's insistent need for sex.

He had always seen himself as a considerate and generous lover. It was easier with Ianto than it had been with anyone else. Every sound Ianto made had all ready imprinted on Jason's heart and soul. Every expression on Ianto's face and every twitch of his body told him so much about his lover that he knew just by looking at the way Ianto's foot bounced or the way he bit his lip what the other man wanted at that moment. And he was more than willing, eager even, to provide his lover with whatever it took to satisfy him enough to stay.

He knew that Ianto believed Jason had all of the power in their relationship. In reality it was _Ianto_ who was in control. Ianto made him want to take him into consideration whenever he did anything, whether it was what to make for dinner or to stay at work past midnight. Whenever they were together it was easy to see that it was Ianto who was in control, not Jason.

And it scared the shit out of him.

He had dated a few girls in high school before working up the courage to ask Kate out. The head cheerleader and class president was one of the most popular girls in school. He had been thrilled when she agreed to go out with him. They dated for a little over a year before they graduated. They were married by summer's end and played house for a while. It had been fun; they had felt so grown up in their little apartment and going to college together. And then reality hit. In less than two years they were struggling to make ends meet while learning what marriage and parenting was really about. It was why he had enrolled at the police academy. He knew it would be hard work but it would mean better pay and benefits than he made working minimum wage jobs. He chose a career over education and so missed out on a lot of the things other twenty-year olds got to experience.

He didn't regret his choice. Yes, he wished he had finished college and he made damn sure his kids all studied hard. But he didn't regret his decision to drop out before his sophomore year. He had put his small family's needs before his own. Kate had agreed, as she felt overwhelmed with her own classes to attend and part-time job, not to mention taking care of a baby. They had both gone from carefree teenagers to tired, hardworking parents. They managed to make it work. His decision to join Interpol a few years later had not been an easy one to make but like before, he did not regret it. In fact, Interpol had personally sought him out. They had been extremely impressed by Jason's track record, especially since he only had a high school degree. His dedication to his job and his determination to be the best police officer he could had made him an prime candidate for recruitment.

His only regrets involved his marriage. He deeply regretted not being able to see that Kate was unhappy. He had to work many long nights and even traveled to other countries for work. This meant that there were many nights when Kate was home alone with the children, sometimes for weeks. It was not a good enough reason for her to find comfort in another man's bed, particularly that of her husband's best friend, but it had served as a wake-up call for him. He had tried everything he could think of to salvage his marriage. They had attended marriage counseling, started going back to church, he had cut back his work load and cut back on the drinking. Unfortunately nothing had worked. The damage was too deep to be repaired. Kate had loved him when they were little more than children, before they had experienced life enough to understand what love really was. While she still cared for him it was not enough for her to stay with him, especially as he was not home often enough. In the end his connections with the government worked swiftly and less than two years after he first learned of the affair he was a single man sharing custody of his four children.

Perhaps if Kate had come to him or had at least found another lover besides the man who had stood by him at their wedding, Jason would not have done a complete 180. He was a romantic at heart yet he had gone from a devoted lover who had showered his wife with gifts and affection to a man on a mission to get laid overnight. The evening the divorce was finalized he went downtown to a popular gay bar and lost himself in the kind of sex that only came when one slept with a total stranger. That night had set the standard for the next several years. Instead of lovers, he had the digital age equivalent of a little black book full of people he could barely recognize with their clothes on.

It had been the way he had chosen to live after his marriage failed. He knew he wasn't perfect but he also knew that he hadn't deserved to have his heart stomped on so viciously. So he had hardened his heart to not accept anything more than sex without commitment. It had been an ideal life. He had fantastic sex with beautiful people and no strings attached. There was no one to answer to when he came home late, no one to complain if he forgot to empty the dishwasher and no gifts to buy for apologies or anniversaries. It was the perfect way to live.

Until he met Ianto.

Jason was absolutely terrified at how smitten he was with the Welshman. Not even Kate had made him feel so alive. The first time he had seen Ianto Jones he had known then that the man was something special. The first time he had kissed Ianto's soft, inviting mouth he had known he would never be satisfied with another pair of lips. The first time that he had slept with Ianto he knew that he was dangerously close to falling in love.

And oh how hard he had fallen!

Yes, Ianto was still in love with Harkness. But Ianto had told him about the three final meetings with his past when in the UNIT hospital. First, Harkness had broken his heart. Then his sister and Gwen had destroyed any hope he'd had for himself. All of that combined had served to shatter Ianto's heart.

But now he was with Jason. Jason was more than willing to rebuild the hope and love that Ianto was capable of feeling. He was going to heal the pain and fill the emptiness if it killed him.

Ianto Jones had complete and absolute control of Jason's heart and soul.

~_~_~

August 22, 2014. Friday evening. Torchwood Base.

Shelly watched Jason and Ianto with a frown on her round face. All day they had exchanged looks that normally meant nothing in particular but she knew better. She was, after all, an expert at reading between the lines, whether spoken or not. She was an observer. A people watcher. She noticed the little things about people and their surroundings. So it was quite clear that the two men had experienced some sort of epiphany yet it was unclear exactly _what_ had happened. She tried to make sense of the whole situation but it would have been easier if she knew what the situation itself was.

There was something in the way that they interacted. The gestures, the tones of voice, the expressionsn on their faces were different, softer, than before. They would look at each other for a moment longer than was sociably acceptable. Their hands would brush against each other's whenever they passed by. And then suddenly, as Shelly was changing the ink cartridge in the copier, she saw it. She had her own epiphany.

Jason handed a folder to his Second, held his gaze briefly, a hint of something (a smile, maybe?) and then turned to talk to Miranda. Ianto looked down at the folder, flipping through the contents swiftly and out of the corner of his eye he looked at Jason. The intense sapphire eyes held a look that hadn't been there a few weeks ago. It was a look of longing, a look of desire and affection all mingled into one.

It was the same look in Jason's coffee colored eyes every time he looked at Ianto.

Looking up Ianto noticed Shelly's eyes on him. A flush creeping up his face, he closed the folder and walked briskly in the direction of his office. Shelly ducked her head to hide a smile. She saw Jason's eyes follow Ianto as he walked away. He was _so_ checking out Ianto's ass, she was sure of that. Not that she blamed him. Even girls liked a little something to grab onto.

"I need some extra hands here, please!" Jenny called out, breaking the spell that Shelly was sure had descended upon the base. (It had to be magic. Ianto and Jason were not only _not_ fighting but they were embarking on something so sweet and wonderful!)

"Shelly!"

Shelly jumped up from her chair and hurried to help Jenny. As she did she couldn't help but notice that Jason's attention was on the closed office door instead of the conversation he was having. She couldn't help but wonder if they had all ready slept together. That caused her head to fill with images of the two very different built men in various graphic poses.

"Ooh!"

"What is it?" Jenny asked as she held up a box of medical supplies.

Blushing, Shelly mumbled, "Nothing."

She smiled as she turned back to the doctor. There was little doubt that Jason Monroe was up to the task of wooing Ianto Jones. Maybe they would get married! Or adopt a kid. Oh, the possibilities were endless.

She was so happy for them. She was pleased that they had seen something in each other. Oh, who was she kidding? She was _ecstatic_.

~_~_~

Later that evening Jason watched as Ianto chopped up vegetables and added them to the slowly simmering broth in the saucepan. It had been a slow day that had included a couple stray Weevils, a trip to check on the Squids and a piece of alien technology pulled from the river. They had no idea what it was yet but hopefully they would know soon. At least the day was over. The slow days were often as tiring as the crazy-busy days. Too many hours filled with only paperwork dulled the senses and drained the mind.

"Anything you want me to do?"

Normally he was the one who made the meals, as Ianto couldn't do much besides coffe, soup and sandwiches, but tonight they had both wanted something light. Vegetable soup was easy to make so Ianto had volunteered to make dinner.

Ianto looked up from the cutting board. He brushed his hands on a dishtowel and placed the board and knife in the sink.

"Can you pop the rolls in the oven?"

"Sure." Jason pushed off the counter and walked to the oven. "Anything else? Or is it just soup and rolls tonight?"

"I bought some ice cream yesterday. We can have that for dessert. I figured, considering that the soup is all vegetable, that we could forgo a salad."

"Then that means you're finished, right?"

"Well, it'll be about twenty minutes until the rolls are ready and by that time so will the soup. So yes, I suppose."

"Good."

Jason wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist and nibbled at his ear.

"Jason! What if the soup boils over?"

Jason reached out and turned off the heat (of the stove, that is). He then slid a hand down to cup a firm buttock and squeezed.

Ianto leaned his head back and surrendered to the sensations that made their way happily through his body. As he kissed Ianto's neck, Jason danced his fingers around to undo the zipper of Ianto's pants. He slipped his hand inside and began to move it up and down the hardening arousal.

"Keep that up and the rolls will burn…"

Jason chuckled and moved his free hand to turn the oven off.

"I'll put more in later."

"Insatiable, you are. One might even say ravenous." Ianto's voice was raspy with need.

"I have an unquenchable thirst for something exotic, something Welsh," Jason replied as he tugged at the top of the tailored pants.

Ianto didn't protest in the slightest as the material pooled at his bare feet. His underwear was quick to follow. He knew that Jason would leave the shirt alone as it was the light purple that he so loved.

Jason's hands moved rhythmically to bring his lover pleasure. He continued to nip and suck at the pale neck and let his other hand creep up under the formfitting shirt to pinch at a tender nipple. The gasp he received made him smile. But he wanted to make Ianto do more than gasp. He slowly teased his hand down to the furrowed navel. A couple times of dipping his finger firmly in the erogenous spot and Ianto was moaning in Welsh.

With a growl Ianto twisted around and pushed Jason up against the refrigerator. His own skilled hands made quick work of the buttons and zipper of his lover's shirt and jeans. He dropped to his knees and took Jason's hard shaft into his mouth.

It wasn't the sight of Ianto kneeling before him as if he were worshipping a god. It wasn't the wonderful sensation of the warm, wet suction on his throbbing member. It wasn't even that he knew they were going to forget about dinner and have each other for dessert in a matter of minutes.

None of that was why Jason's breath caught in his throat and his heart erupted in a wave of joy and utter ecstasy.

It was that Ianto's cerulean eyes were locked onto his own. The way he felt, what they both felt, was reflected in the blue orbs. The love and desire was unlike anything that Jason had felt or seen before. The fact that it was aimed solely at him had him ready to explode.

They had been together about three weeks now. It felt like forever. They knew each other's bodies as well as they knew their own. And it wasn't just sex. Yes they had sex every night (except that one night where they hadn't even gotten home until well after midnight. And when had the little studio apartment come to feel like home to him anyhow?) but it was the periods before sex and after that showed how deeply they cared about each other. It was the normal things that made him want to shower his lover with affection.

Just a few days back he had taken Ianto out to dinner for his birthday. After much careful thought they had decided that he was now twenty-nine years old. He had been frozen a few months before his twenty-sixth birthday and kept on ice for over two and a half years. He'd essentially lost three years off his age. Ianto had laughed and said that cryogenics was one way to keep from hitting the dreaded age of thirty. It had been nice to see him smile and enjoy himself. Jason had even scored points by presenting him with the complete James Bond DVD collection. Ianto deserved to be happy. And Jason was going to make damned sure that he was. After all, how could he not want to make him smile?

Every morning Ianto woke him up with a kiss and a cup of fresh brewed coffee. It was the best coffee he had ever tasted. It reminded him of that cup he'd had in London several years back. After exchanging several sleepy kisses they indulged in a hot shower. Jason would make breakfast, unless they were in a hurry and had to settle for cereal, and they would wash the dishes together. Throughout the course of the day they would maintain a professional distance but would often speak quietly of their evening plans when they were alone. When work was done for the day they would have dinner, do the dishes and then spend the evening winding down. They watched the news and reality television while they chatted and read the newspaper. When they were ready, they would make their way to the bed where they would tease one another until they had to take their clothes off. Sometimes they would make slow, sweet love for hours. Other times they would go at it like wild animals, making the bed thump against the wall with every movement as they tried to wear each other out.

Jason loved the sex. He also loved the times when they were just together. He honestly wasn't sure which he loved more. But he did know one thing-- he was in love with Ianto Jones.

"Ianto… I can't take it anymore."

With a smile, Ianto leaned back. His lips were swollen and red. His pale face was flushed and there were beads of sweat on his forehead.

"So very insatiable."

"Damn Welsh bastard…"

"Tsk. Is that anyway to speak to the person who's going to make you scream tonight?"

"You say things like that and yet, I don't see you following through."

Ianto stood and turned away. He stretched his arms, the shirt riding up enough to expose the rear that Jason couldn't resist. He then reached back and took his lover's hand, leading him to the bed. He pushed Jason down onto the mattress and straddled his lap. Their dual arousals pressed together in the most enticing way.

"I'll show you how well I can follow through."

Ianto kissed him hard, his tongue mapping every contour of the hungry mouth. He rocked their bodies back and forth, gripping the broad shoulders to steady himself. Jason's hands moved down his back to grasp at his hips.

Jason couldn't stand it a second longer. He fell backwards, pulling Ianto down on top of him.

"Feel free to follow through now."

"Is that an order?"

"Should I say yes?"

"No objections here."

"Then yes, Ianto, that's an order."

"Then I shall hasten to obey."

And obey he did.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Broken Hearts and Ghosts

_September 3, 2014. Wednesday morning. Wooded area next to Baxter Preschool._

The phone on Jason's desk rang three times before it had been answered. Jason had then sent Ianto and a small team to handle it as he had a conference call with the other Torchwoods to deal with.

According to the police, the teachers at a small preschool had seen what looked like a wild animal on the playground. When they arrived, the creature was still there tearing up a swing. One officer took a picture and sent it to Jason's cell phone. It was easy to see why they were called. It was a Weevil. The police would not be able to handle the situation on their own, as they did not know what they were dealing with.

So Ianto led Jenny, Sam and Bobby onto the playground. They could all see the damaged swing set and the torn up ground. The police had cordoned off the area and the teachers were shut up inside with the children.

"Torchwood," Ianto said as he glanced at the teachers who were watching from the windows.

"Officer Callis," a policewoman said. "We did as you said and blocked the phone lines and cellular transmissions so no calls can be made. Can I ask why though?"

"Because that creature is dangerous. If the parents hear about it then they will rush down here to take their children home and may frighten it to the point where it will attack."

"But we could have just told them to not make calls."

Ianto looked down at the small scanner in his hand. The Weevil was close by at least.

"Humans are social and vocal creatures. The chances that all of the people involved obeying a direct order to not use their mobiles are extremely low. And I'm afraid Officer that all it would take would be for one person to send a text and we'd have a full-blown crisis on our hands. The results would not be pretty. Do you want to explain to a mother why her baby is dead?"

He didn't even have to look up to see her reaction. No, she would not want to have to do that.

"Now, we're trained in these matters, so please just stay back and let us do our job."

Sam frowned as he overheard that. He still wasn't happy about his demotion. He didn't trust the Institute or Ianto (If he were honest he would admit that it was more about his hurt feelings and jealousy than mistrust). That last comment made his blood boil. The damned British Import was acting just like all the other British Torchwood workers he'd ever met. Arrogant and cocky, he was strutting about the place, snapping out orders and demanding compliance.

"You could have been nicer," he hissed at Ianto as the younger man moved away from the policewoman.

"Sam, we have a Weevil on the loose. For it to be so visible this time of day means one of three things. It's a rogue. It's unstable. It has a nest. All three scenarios are not very appealing. If it's a rogue, well, think psychotic killer on the rampage; anything could set it off. If it's unstable, the same problem. If it has recently given birth then its young are close by and it will be very protective."

"I _get_ that."

"Do you?" Ianto demanded. He looked at him. "Don't let your feelings towards me get in the way of being the Torchwood operative you are. We have to detach ourselves when in these situations. Those children in the school are in danger so long as that Weevil is here. Our priority is to find it and remove it. If there is a nest, we need to find it as well. We have to protect the children. Get it?"

Sam glowered angrily. He hated Ianto Jones. Never mind that he was right. Bastard.

"Ianto, I see it," Bobby said through the headset.

"Don't get too close. Use the stun darts first. They're more afraid of us than we are of them."

Ianto ordered the police to stay back. He and Sam hurried to join the others just as a snarling cry rent the air. They reached Jenny's side just in time to see the Weevil, small by Weevil standards, collapse next to a large tree. Small squealing sounds could be heard from the base of the tree.

"Oh my!" Jenny breathed as she darted forward.

"Careful, Doctor," Ianto warned as he grabbed her arm. "We never found any Weevil offspring except as corpses but they are born with razor-sharp teeth that can chew your hand right off."

The two infants were about the size of six-week old kittens and were very wrinkled, scaled and ugly. The carcass of a dead rodent lay between them, blood from their meal coating their skin.

"She was trying to protect her babies," Jenny said as she knelt.

Bobby and Sam quickly bound the mother and covered her head with a bag.

"What about them? I don't want to use the darts as it might be too much sedative for infants," Jenny said.

Ianto took out a bottle of Weevil spray.

"It's purely a numbing spray, nothing more." He passed it to her. "I'm going to have a chat with the civilians while you get them into the van." He turned and walked back to the school.

"Everything all right?" Officer Callis asked as he approached.

"Oh, nothing to be concerned about. My team's very proficient in these matters. I'm sure we'll have this sorted very soon. Now then, let's go inside."

He glanced at the children gathered together, pleased that they were young enough that their attention spans meant they were too busy playing to notice that anything was amiss. Ah, the ignorance of youth. It was a blessing at times like this. Hopefully they would remain ignorant of the world for a while longer.

Ianto gathered the staff in the break room while the police watched over the children across the hall. He made a pot of coffee and passed it out, his eyes observing the group as they drank from their mugs gratefully. He spoke in a low, firm voice as he told them how they had all come to work and had gone through their morning routines. He told them that there had been a brief power outage that had crashed the computers and they had spent the last hour working on it. There was no mention of the Weevil or the fear that they all had felt upon seeing it.

Jack had taught him how to manipulate memory with Retcon. It came in useful when you needed to make a large group forget the same details.

One by one the teachers began to nod off. Ianto smiled to himself and walked back across the hall. The children were still blissfully ignorant. His PDA in hand, he accessed the school computers and altered the servers to look like a crash in the systems had occurred. Next he hacked into the police server. He carefully erased all mention of the phone call to the police and the photo text that was sent to Jason's phone. All that was left was the children themselves.

It was unlikely that the children would be able to accurately describe the Weevil but it was more for the sake of the teachers than anything. Retcon was not an exact science. Gwen had been proof that all it took was a strong will and a good trigger image or word and the amnesia could be broken. Jack had taught him to cover all of his bases when administering Retcon.

Being a preschool meant that snacks were served to the children. He made a pitcher of a fruit flavored drink that was more empty calories than substance and dropped in a packet of concentrated Retcon powder. It was more than enough for the seventy-two children who had been checked in that day (according to the school database). He took the pitcher, a box of plastic cups and a carton of cookies into the playroom.

"All right children!"

They all looked up at him expectantly. Toys were scattered everywhere. The teachers would awaken to find a mess that needed to be cleaned up. He was so glad to not be a butler anymore.

"Gather around. I've brought you all a snack."

He smiled as he watched the children drink the punch that would send them to the land of nod.

"What did you do?" Officer Callis asked suspiciously as the children began to yawn.

"Watch over them until the teachers wake up," Ianto said calmly as he rinsed out the now empty pitcher. "Make certain you don't mention what happened here today. And don't bother writing up a report. Leave that to us."

He set the pitcher down to dry and turned to go out the door. He ignored the dirty looks the police sent him. He would deal with that later. Torchwood was above all of that.

"What the hell happened?"

He walked back to the break room. Jenny and Bobby stood there looking worriedly at the unconscious teachers.

"I drugged them."

They turned to look at him in shock.

"You did _what_?"

"I used a short term amnesia pill to erase the last few hours from their memories as well as the children. I also took care of fixing a cover story as well as hiding our tracks." Ianto buttoned his coat and flexed his fingers. "Since clean-up is complete, let's get the little family back to base."

"You…. You drugged them!" Jenny gasped. "And the children too!"

"Yes, I believe that's exactly what I said. Now, let's go."

"You bastard!" Bobby said. "What did they do to you?"

Ianto cocked his head and frowned. "Retcon is perfectly harmless. We used it at Torchwood Cardiff all the time. Everyone will wake up in a couple hours and not remember a thing."

"You had no right!" Jenny stated. She glowered at him in anger.

Ianto calmly replied, "I only did what needed to be done. I did nothing wrong."

"We'll let Jason be the judge of that."

"I'm sure he'll see the wisdom in my actions, Doctor."

~_~_~

_Back at the base._

"You did _what_?"

Ianto was annoyed. He had calmly explained what Retcon was for. He was surprised by his lover's reaction to it being used at the school. It had been perfectly justified.

"I said that I --"

"I heard you the first time." Jason was pissed. That was something that everyone could see. "You had no right to do anything like that. I _never_ authorized this."

"I'm sorry, but I thought that we were supposed to be a secret organization," Ianto said sarcastically. "How can we be that if people go around talking about Weevils in playgrounds?"

"I understand the need for secrecy, dammit," Jason snapped. "Like I said before, it's not what you do, it's how you do it. We do not use amnesia pills on people, _especially children_!"

"Jack would not have hesitated to --"

That was the wrong thing to say. Jason's eyes darkened to an almost pitch black as he interrupted his lover.

"Do I look like I give a damn what Harkness would have done?" He hated it when Ianto compared Bluemont to Cardiff. He hated it even more when Ianto compared _him_ to Harkness. Would Ianto never get over the man?

"Jason, I'm doing my job."

"_No. More. Retcon_."

"There are times when it's necessary."

"No."

They glared at each other. Neither wanted to admit defeat.

Ianto was about to speak when he saw Shelly's face. The one person who wanted to be his friend, who wanted to get along with him, had a look on her face that was part revulsion, part anger. It was the same expression Rhiannon had on her face the day she came to see in at the UNIT hospital. The fact that Shelly reminded him of his sister made the tightening in his chest worse.

He slowly swiveled his head to look at each member of the team in turn. They all looked at him like he was evil incarnate.

"You're worse than the Weevils!" Susan said. "You're… You're a monster! They're just little kids!"

_"You're worse than anything locked down there…. You're the biggest monster of all."_

Words spoken to Jack in anger and grief came back to him so quickly he was afraid to breathe.

He turned his eyes back to Jason. Just last night they had been so happy. They had laughed and smiled and made love. That morning they had been so normal, like a real couple, as they prepared to face the day. Now his lover looked at him in such a way that Ianto wanted to cry.

He slowly nodded his head. He got it now. There was no sense in denying it. He was a relic. An antique. He was useless. No one wanted him here. He had no purpose here. In truth, he had never had a purpose. He was supposed to be dead.

"Your way then," he said. His face was blank; his eyes empty like when he had first arrived. He turned and walked towards his office. Once inside he closed the door and leaned against it.

_Monster_…

Yes, he knew from experience that the biggest monsters weren't the ones under the bed or came from the Rift. Humans were more dangerous than any aliens he had ever encountered. He recalled the cannibals, Suzie and the Resurrection Gauntlet, the whole team betraying Jack to open the Rift, two brothers hacking an innocent creature up for profit. John and Gray. Frobisher and Johnson. Humans were the real monsters. And Ianto Jones was bigger and worse than any of them because he had known it and stayed hidden in the shadows protesting his innocence.

"I'm a monster," he murmured quietly as he slid down to the floor and wept silent tears.

Now more than ever he needed to feel Jack's arms around him. He needed Jack to hold him tight and tell him it would be all right. He needed Jack to give his life, his existence, meaning again. Even if it was all a lie.

But it would never happen.

Jack was gone forever. He hadn't cared about Ianto enough to save him from this hell. And Jason… Jason was too good for him. He didn't deserve to have Jason's love. He hadn't deserved Jack and he would never deserve Jason. There was nothing for him anymore.

He had thought he'd felt alone before, when Lisa had died and then again when he'd been broken by Jack, Rhiannon and Gwen. That feeling was nothing compared to what he felt now.

Now Ianto Jones felt truly alone in a world full of people.

And so he wept.

Why didn't I just die?

~_~_~

The base was quiet. No one had seen Ianto the rest of the day. He had locked himself in his office and so had Jason. That was fine with all of them.

Everyone sat at their stations working and conversed in low tones. They were all furious at Ianto both for what he did and his attitude regarding the whole situation. They were also worried that Jason would do something that would get him in trouble with the Institute. Although they had all accepted that Ianto was there to stay they still had a difficult time adapting to his way. They had all been waiting for soemthing like this to happen, something that would drive Jason to the edge and cause him to attack.

So they stayed out of the way. Thankfully the Rift behaved itself. Jenny had her staff down observing the new additions and the rest of the team did paperwork or worked on computer software. And they kept as quiet as possible.

When six o'clock came Jason sent everyone home. He sat at his desk finishing up a report as the others gathered their belongings.

"What are we doing for dinner tonight?" came a soft, hesitant voice.

He looked up to see Ianto in the doorway. The door was open; anyone could have heard the question. They had boundaries in place for a reason. Neither wanted anyone to think the wrong thing or judge them. They both wanted to keep their relationship private.

Jason stood and walked to stand before him. "I don't know you as well as I thought. You went behind my back and drugged people."

Ianto frowned and rubbed at his neck.

"Jason, that's Torchwood. We agreed to keep Torchwood and us separate, remember?"

"Which is why I'm wondering why you came in here when everyone's still in the base and ask me over to your place…"

They had both crossed the boundaries. Everyone was listening to the conversation with interest.

"Jason… look, just listen to me…"

"No. You listen to me. I'm not coming over to your place tonight. I don't know if I'll be coming to your place ever again."

Something flashed in Ianto's eyes. Hurt, anguish. It made Jason's own eyes soften a bit and he sighed.

"I need to think about where this thing between you and me is going, Ianto," he continued softly. "I have to think about my duty and how I can reconcile it with my relationship with you. If you can't give me the time I need, then we need to end this now."

Ianto looked away, his arms folded. His eyes were full of unshed tears and emptiness. Jason wondered, not for the first time, if it was Jack and not himself that Ianto saw whenever he looked at him. If he was just the body.

After a few moments Ianto raised his blank eyes to his lover.

"Take your time then," Ianto said softly. He unfolded his arms and buttoned his coat. He walked out of the office and lowered his eyes to the floor as he walked to the exit. He couldn't handle everyone's stares right now. All he wanted to do was bury himself under the blankets on his bed and forget everything.

Jason watched him as he left. He sighed deeply and closed the door.

The silence in the base was so thick it was scary. The others looked at the door and wondered when the hell the two of them had gotten together and just how serious it was.

Shelly bit her lip in dismay. It was painfully clear that Jason and Ianto cared deeply about each other and were both hurt by the entire situation. She felt bad for her own reaction. Maybe Ianto had been wrong to take the action he had without discussing it with Jason first but he was trying his best to adapt to his new life. Harkness had done it differently at Cardiff and that was where Ianto had truly become a Torchwood agent. It had to be difficult for him. And she knew she had hurt him when she had looked at him in disgust.

She looked in the direction of the exit and hoped that they would be able to work it all out. They deserved to be happy together.

That night Jason slept in his own bed. He had barely been home in weeks. The bed felt far too large and empty.

Ianto also slept in a too large bed. It was also the first night in a while that the nightmares came. He thrashed about on the bed as he relived his most terrifying moments. Between each memory was an image of Jason, shirt ripped and covered in blood, hanging from a ceiling. This was often followed by Jack telling him that he didn't want him. It was little wonder that he awoke with a strangled scream well before dawn.

He drew his legs to his chest and sobbed.

He felt so alone.

~_~_~

_September 10, 2014. Wednesday morning._

Morning didn't come soon enough. It had been a week since the Retcon incident. Jason was still not talking to Ianto. He had told Ianto that they needed to take a break and sort things out on their own. This meant that for a week neither man had slept much.

For Ianto this also meant that for a week he'd been plagued by nightmares once again.

At the moment, they were at the Squid enclosure. There had been some Rift activity and Jason had taken a team consisting of Ianto, Sam, Miranda, Erin and Dan with him to check it out.

Miranda and Dan were making notes on the Squids while Ianto scanned for signs of aliens nearby. Erin and Sam were keeping an eye out for any civilians as well as aliens. Jason stood back and watched them.

His eyes kept wandering to the young Welshman a few yards away. It hurt to be so close to him and yet feel so far away. All he wanted to do was forget his anger and go to sleep with his arms around the other man.

_Ianto._

These last few days had been hell. After getting accustomed to sleeping next to a warm body it was hard to sleep at night. He knew that he should have sat down and talked to Ianto about the whole damned mess but he had never been very good at those kinds of things. Instead he usually got angry and yelled a lot.

He knew he had every right to be angry because of the Retcon but he also that he was angrier at the fact that Ianto had compared him to Harkness again.

Jason looked back over at Ianto and sighed. He was wearing a blue shirt with a dark gray suit today. He looked good. Jason sighed heavily. Dammit, he missed him.

_I'm sorry. We can work through this. Can you forgive me for hurting you? I love you. I miss you. I want you back in my arms._

He wanted to say all of that. He would give anything to have those blue eyes light up again. The smile that Ianto shared with him alone had been absent for days. The face he adored so much was void of expression. The mask of indifference was firmly in place.

_I'm sorry Ianto._

Ianto rubbed tiredly at his face. Between the nightmares and the tears he'd cried he had been unable to sleep much. His chest constricted as he thought of having to go another night without Jason there to comfort him.

This was worse than all the times that he and Jack had argued. The longest that he and the Immortal had gone without making up had been a day. Even that last day, when Ianto had tried to get Jack to open up about the 456 and been left feeling dejected and unwanted, Jack had held him as they slept. When they had headed out to the Thames House they had apologized. In the lift on the way to the thirteenth floor, Jack had turned to him and kissed him. It had been the most interesting and mournful kiss of his life. Never before had he ever kissed with his eyes open. Maybe he had known, deep inside, that it was the last time he would ever kiss Jack and had wanted to memorize his face.

"In a thousand years' time, you won't remember me…"

His last words to the most remarkable man he had ever met. He had tried to keep focused on Jack's face as he breathed his last breath.

"Ianto, don't go… Don't leave me, please…"

Jack! Jack, I love you! Remember that. If you remember nothing else about me, tomorrow or an eternity from now, please remember that I love you. Forever and always…

That had been his last thought as his eyes closed of their own accord. He had heard the alien taunt Jack. He had tried to whisper out a word of comfort as Jack's warm lips ghosted over his.

_I wish I _had_ died… Then I wouldn't be hurting so much now._

He looked over at Jason, who looked away before their eyes could meet.

He missed the way that Jason smelled. The scent reminded him of Jack.

I always compare the two. Even when I try not to.

Ianto bit his lip. Jack had been with him out of a sense of guilt or duty, not out of love or affection. He had to let go of Jack. There was no way around it. His memories of the Immortal were holding him down. He had become a slave to his past.

No. He wouldn't allow that. Not anymore. He would always love Jack but Jack was gone. The past was in the past. It couldn't be changed. Even if Jack had returned his feelings, it didn't matter. He was gone. Jack was the past and Jason was the future.

_Goodbye, Captain Jack Harkness. I'll never forget how you made me alive again. But I have to let you go._

He straightened up. He had made a decision.

"Jason?"

Jason turned to look at him.

Before Ianto could open his mouth, Miranda let out a shout. She stumbled back and reached for her gun only to have it kicked from her hand. A man in black clothes stepped from between two trees. Ianto moved to get between the man and the others only to find himself pinned against a solid body with the business end of a gun pressed against his skull.

Jason raised his gun.

"I wouldn't even think it if I were you, Biggy," the man warned. "Stay still or Eye Candy gets his brains blown."

_Oh God, not another John Hart, _Ianto seethed silently in anger.

The man tightened his grip on Ianto and sneered at the look on Jason's face. It was a classic 'if looks could kill…' expression. The man found it entertaining, or perhaps he just liked to live dangerously.

"Such a sad little planet you all have here. The scenery and nightlife leave much to be desired. Although," he grinned as he ran a rough, calloused hand down the length of Ianto's body, bringing it to rest just above his groin. "There are some things about this backwards place that are appealing." He bent his head to nip at Ianto's neck.

"Take your hands off him."

The man looked up and smirked at Jason. He then purposely began to unbutton Ianto's suit jacket. His smirk widened as he tugged up on the crisp blue shirt and moved to caress the skin beneath.

"I rather like having my hands on him, actually. Don't mind, do you?"

"I said…" Jason's teeth were clenched. "Take… your… filthy… hands… off… him…"

"Imbecile. Just die."

Jason watched as the small bullet sped towards him. Heh, weird. He knew it was coming quickly yet it seemed to move so slowly. He had plenty of time to regret.

"Jason!"

He felt as if he were going to sleep. It was cold. Shit, he was dying. This wasn't supposed to happen. He couldn't die, not yet. Shit, it was getting dark.

_Ianto…_

Oh God… Ianto. He couldn't die without telling Ianto that he was sorry.

"Ianto…"

"Jason…"

Oh shit, was Ianto crying?

_Just a few minutes, that's all I need… I just need to tell him…_

"I love you."

And then it went dark.

~_~_~

It was warm. Nice and warm. It was as if he were wrapped in his grandmother's comforter while sitting in front of the fire with a cup of coffee. It was so comfortable that he wanted to stay there forever.

"Wake up, open your eyes."

Jason did as he was told. All he could see was pitch-black darkness and a pretty Japanese woman.

A woman?

He sat up slowly and looked around. Except for the woman there was only darkness.

"Who are you?"

"Toshiko Sato."

That name sounded familiar. He had heard it somewhere before. If only he could remember.

"Okay, Toshiko Sato. I'm Jason Monroe. Now," he said as he climbed to his feet. "Where are we?"

"This is where you go when you die."

"So I'm dead? Kinda figured that." He took a good look around. There was still only darkness. "Not quite what I expected it to be like. This is Hell, isn't it? I mean, I know my ex-wife and her family would be happier knowing that I ended up there."

"It's not like that. You're here so that your doctor has a chance to save you. For starters, it's not time for you to come here yet."

"Tell that to the guy who shot me then."

Toshiko giggled behind her hand at him. "You're funny. I can see why he likes you."

"I can't. I mean, come on! Doesn't Tea Boy ever learn?"

Jason turned to stare at a skinny young man with brown hair and a smirk on his face. He wore a white lab coat with a pair of glasses sticking out of the front pocket. The creepy part was that he was leaning against a wall of _nothing_, his arms crossed over his chest. And he looked perfectly calm as he leant back against _nothing_.

He was getting a little worried. Normally when you died you saw people you actually knew, at least that's what he'd always assumed. Maybe that was only for those lucky enough to go to a _better_ place.

"Okay, what's going on here?" he asked slowly as he looked back and forth between them.

Toshiko smiled and touched his arm in a reassuring gesture. She indicated the other man across from them.

"This is Owen Harper."

"_Dr_. Owen Harper."

"Jason Monroe."

"I know," Owen said impatiently.

Toshiko interrupted before an argument could start. "You wanted to know what this place is." She waved a hand around in an expansive gesture. "This is The Darkness."

"Obviously," Jason said in a dry tone. Then he frowned. "Did you capitalize that?"

She giggled again and moved to stand next to Owen. At least she didn't lean.

"Okay, fine, whatever. So this place? What's it for?" He waved his hands around to indicate the -- _nothingness_ that filled up everything.

Owen unfolded his arms and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "It's where you go before you move on. Using alien technology we found a way to talk to people who had died. Everyone we talked to said that when you die you come to the darkness and that there's nothing else."

Toshiko turned her sweet smile back to Jason. "But the darkness isn't all there is, not for everyone. For most people it's a place they come to just for a short while. The more regrets you have the longer you stay."

"Regrets?" Well hell, he had a million regrets. He'd be here forever.

"Yeah, regrets." Owen took out his glasses and fiddled with them absently. "I regretted a lot of things. Some regrets you get over fast. Others you don't. I would still be here, as a resident not a tour guide, if Tosh hadn't helped me realize that I all ready had everything I needed. She forgave me and despite my stupidity still loves me. I followed her out of the darkness a short while later. It's been heaven ever since, pardon the pun."

"What does this have to do with me or Ian -- _wait a damned minute_!"

Toshiko Sato, computer technical and expert on alien technology. Owen Harper, medic and expert on alien physiology. The use of alien technology to speak to the dead. And Tea Boy…

It finally clicked.

"You were at Torchwood Cardiff!"

How did he not realize? He'd read the files on every Torchwood employee, both dead and alive. He had been disgusted by the fact that Cardiff, like London, went through employees the way that kids went through a toy store. The whole city of Cardiff had been saved when these two people lost their lives to prevent what would have been a catastrophic explosion.

"Yes, we were," Tosh said. "We worked there with Ianto."

Ianto had been caught in limbo five years ago. Oh no, had he…?

"Was he here too? Before he was brought back…" _Say no, please say no._

"For a time," Toshiko said smiling softly. "But he wasn't really dead."

"Yeah, something about the virus not killing immediately, he said," Jason replied.

"That's part of it," Owen said. "Jack kissed him just before they walked into the room where the 456 was. Jack can't die, not really, not yet at least. When he kissed him he passed on some of his healing energy without knowing it. When the virus entered his lungs, Ianto's immune system kicked in triple time and protected his body from the full effects of the virus. Unfortunately, the others all died. Some died from the virus while others were buried or cremated before the anti-virus could be administered. Ianto was the only one of a couple hundred people to survive."

Harkness can't die? What the hell does he mean by that?

"Okay, so Harkness saved him. Why did he leave Earth after it was all over?"

Toshiko sat down on _nothing_. Her pretty face was masked with sorrow.

"He didn't know that Ianto would be all right. He believed, as did the others, that Ianto had died. Because of what he had to do to stop the aliens, Jack felt that there was nothing left for him here. He was ashamed he had to kill a child and that he couldn't protect his partner. So he left."

"But Ianto's under the impression that Harkness knows he's alive and chose to leave him. That Harkness never loved him."

He remembered the look on Ianto's face when he'd told him about Harkness visiting him at the hospital. It had deeply hurt the younger man when Harkness told him he didn't want him.

"That's what he was _told_. That's not the truth. But then, you all ready knew that there's more going on than just an assignment transfer, don't you? I mean, after years of having total control and then suddenly you get this sexy British Import tossed at you…" Tosh smiled at him again. "Lies. All of it. While many people who work for UNIT are decent people, there are some who will do anything at any cost. I know that from personal experience," she said. "Ianto was decieved. Jack would never have left him if he'd know he was alive. It was all a deception."

"So then, why was he here at all if he wasn't dead?"

"To protect him."

Jason stared at the two of them. "What?"

Owen stood up straight. "He was pulled into the darkness as a means of protection. We tried to help him, to ease his fears. He thought we were just memories. All he could hear were the bad things. Lisa, his dead girlfriend, tried to talk to him too. But hearing our voices only made him panic."

Toshiko crossed her legs and said, "Jack comes to the darkness whenever he dies but even his voice wasn't enough to soothe Ianto. Perhaps if Ianto knew that there was something beyond this--" she pointed to the _nothing_. "But he's too afraid, as so many are, to hear us properly. The darkness terrifies him."

Owen sighed. "Look, Monroe, Ianto's in danger. Your team's in danger. In fact, I'll be honest with you mate. Everyone you love is in danger. Especially Ianto. You're being shot and ending up here was no accident. That man was sent to kill you."

"Who is he?"

"A Time Agent from the 51st century."

"A what? Never mind," Jason muttered. "Okay then… Why me?"

"Because of Ianto."

"Care to elaborate?"

"We really can't say much, it's part of the deal we made to be able to come here to see Ianto and you." Toshiko smiled gently at him. "Jack didn't abandon him. He truly believed that Ianto was dead. He ran away because he blamed himself for what happened. He only returned to Earth because he felt that at least that way he could look after the people Ianto died to protect. He loved him, even though he could never say the words. He told him with actions instead."

"Ianto's still in love with him too," Jason muttered.

"It's possible to love two people at the same time."

"Call me selfish, but I want him all to myself." He felt a twinge in his chest. He couldn't ever really have all of Ianto. That hurt so much.

Toshiko stood.

"We can't tell you much, but be warned. The Institute isn't all you believed it was. Its purpose may have started out being to protect us from aliens but a greater evil has changed that."

"What does that mean?"

Owen spoke up. "Humans are some of the most despicable creatures ever. Ask Ianto about some of the nastiest cases we ever dealt with."

"I mean, how does that help me?"

"I mean," Owen said snidely. "That the ones who want you dead aren't alien."

"But who-"

"I remember going to the Torchwood Tower once," Toshiko said suddenly. "I met Yvonne Hartman. Very arrogant and self-absorbed. I'm sure she had a lot of dirty laundry and skeletons to hide."

Jason stared at her. Hartman? But she was dead. She'd been converted by the Cybermen and killed during the battle. The wheels in his head began to turn as he thought of those close to Hartman. There were twenty-seven listed survivors from Torchwood One. But that list was incomplete. Those people were among the many who had actually been at the Tower that day. In fact, the entire Board of Directors, with one exception (as she'd been in charge of the Ghost Shift experiments), had been away at a 'top-secret' meeting. They had all been far away when the battle had occurred. In the aftermath, Mr. Franklin had announced that the Tower would not be rebuilt.

Owen glanced behind him. "We have to go. Remember what we've told you. Also, Jack and Gwen have nothing to do with any of this. The danger is real and it's _spreading_."

"Take care of Ianto," Toshiko said. "He loves you. He always did."

"Be careful, Monroe," Owen said. "And don't tell Ianto about us, not yet. Think about what we've said. Watch your back. And keep your eyes and ears open-- we just might meet each other again."

"Wait a minute! You haven't really told me anything! How can I protect him if I don't know what's coming? And what about Harkness and Cooper? What about them? They're nothing to do with Torchwood anymore. Hey! Wait!" he shouted as the other two began to fade into the _nothing_.

"Take care of him. And love him as you once did. He deserves it, as do you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Jason Monroe, you've been targeted since you first met him. Time has been changed. You're a smart man. Use your brain to figure it out."

Jason shook his head.

"--son."

He looked up. Owen and Toshiko were gone. There was only the _nothing_ that made the darkness a place of solitude.

"I'll never forget you, even when you're forgotten."

"Ianto?" But there was only him.

"As long as we love each other, that's all that matters. We'll find each other again."

"Ianto? Where are you?"

He turned around hoping to see his lover. At the same time he prayed that he wouldn't.

"I'm sorry-" Jenny's voice! "-but there's nothing I can do."

"There must be something!" Ianto…

"I'm sorry. But he's dead."

"He's not… he _can't_ be…" Ianto was crying. He could hear the tears in the soft, broken voice.

Ianto… He closed his eyes. Was he dead? But they'd said that it wasn't his time? He couldn't be dead. Ianto needed him. Ianto was crying because of him.

"Jason."

He opened his eyes. There were two little boys standing together. One he recognized from the reports of the 456 incident. Steven Carter. Still in his school uniform. He had been the vessel that sent the deadly shockwave back to the aliens and saved the children of Earth. The other boy, about the same age, had dark curly hair and wore clothes better suited to the dessert.

"Hello…" More ghosts?

"Tell Uncle Jack that it's okay," Steven said. "Mommy's sad but it's okay. I'm okay."

"Uncle Jack? You mean Harkness is your uncle?" That had to have been hard, sacrificing a child so close to him. Could Jason have done it? Could he have given up his daughter for the world? His respect for Harkness moved up a bit (just a bit).

"And tell him that I'm okay too," the other boy said. "I didn't mean it when I said I wanted him to suffer." He looked up imploringly at Jason. "Daddy made a big mistake and we all had to suffer because of it."

Daddy? Harkness had a kid? Being a father himself he knew that he would have done anything to save his own children. He still would. Had this boy been sacrificed too?

"Tell him, please," Steven said. "Tell him we forgive him, we're sorry and we love him."

"I will. I promise." Jason crouched down to look them in the eye. "Do you know who's behind this?"

"Yes," the second boy said. "Daddy's been bad. He's been mean. But he didn't mean it, not really. Help him. Help him and you can help Ianto."

"You know Ianto?"

"Sorta…" Steven said. "He was here too. We stayed with him because he was so sad. But he didn't see us. Did he love Uncle Jack?"

Jason swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "Yeah. He did. He still does."

"He loves you too," a soft voice said gently.

He looked up to see a black woman with kind eyes standing behind the children. He recognized her from the Torchwood database. Ianto had also spoken of her a bit.

"Lisa?"

"Ianto still thinks of me, then? I'm glad. I'm happy that he remembers me. But then," she smiled. "He always had a great capacity for love. Remember?"

"Should I?"

"You will, in time." Lisa took hold of the boys' hands. "Take care of him and yourself. Those who wish to harm you are closer than you think."

Then, like Owen and Tosh, Lisa and the two children were gone.

"He can't be dead… he _can't_… I need him…"

Jason closed his eyes again.

"I'm sorry, but he's dead…"

"But he can't be! He _can't_! Save him!"

"Ianto, I've done all that I can. I'm sorry, but there's nothing more I can--"

"There must be something!"

Oh Ianto… I need to see you. I wish you were--

"Jason… please, open your eyes. Please… Don't leave me…"

"Ianto?"

"Jason?"

He opened his eyes.

Ianto's bright blue eyes were looking back down at him, tears spilling out.

Jason smiled. It was warm. And there was light.

Ianto stared at him for a moment. He leaned over and kissed his lover's forehead. Then he pressed his mouth tenderly against Jason's. Before he could pull away, Jason reached up with his free hand and curled his fingers around Ianto's head to keep him in place. He nudged his tongue past the trembling lips and tried to soothe away Ianto's tears.

He could feel the hot tears hit his face as Ianto continued to cry, this time in relief.

"Jason…"

"I love you," Jason said.

The blue eyes he adored so much closed briefly before Ianto opened them and smiled a shaky smile.

"Please tell me you're not a Fixed Point in Time and Space? Because if you are then I…" He had to stop as more tears trickled down his face.

Jason carefully sat up (dying _hurt_), winced and looked down at his body. There was a wound on his chest that was nearly healed. He looked at Ianto and smiled.

"I have no idea what that means."

He was about to kiss Ianto again when Jenny stepped forward, recovered from her shock.

"Okay, that's enough. I think you've both managed to give everyone simultaneous heart attacks," Jenny said. "Ianto, _move_."

Ianto stepped back but continued to bruise Jason's hand with his own. His blue eyes were tinted red and were swollen and puffy from continuous crying. To Jason, he'd never looked more beautiful.

"Doc, I'm fine," he said as he pushed her hand away.

Jenny frowned and folded her arms. "Yes, but you should still be dead. Your heart stopped beating ten minutes ago and there's been no brain activity for over eight."

Ianto stepped close again and said in a shaky voice, "We tried to resuscitate you but we… we couldn't…."

Jason touched a finger to Ianto's lips, silencing him. He then frowned at the blood covering Ianto.

"Yours'," Jenny stated firmly as he looked at her. "He tried to save you himself."

"Yeah," Sam said coming into the room. He looked grateful and confused, a little scared even. "After he kicked that creep's ass. Bastard got away though."

Jason nodded and slid off the table. He was starting to forget some of the things he'd been told in the darkness. He needed to talk to Ianto.

"Okay, am I cleared for duty?"

"Uh, how about no?"

"Wrong answer," Jason said. "I'm fine." He looked at the others gathered in the room. "I'm getting cleaned up and going home."

Before anyone could say anything Jason pulled Ianto out the door with him.

Jason led him to the locker room down below. He started the shower and then carefully peeled off their blood stained clothes before pulling Ianto into the shower with him. He encircled his arms about Ianto's waist and kissed his neck. The pale skin was pelted with dark bruises and scrapes. He clenched his teeth in anger.

A choked sob drew him from his thoughts. He turned Ianto towards him. "Shh, it's okay baby. I'm here, I'm right here. Shh." He kissed Ianto's shoulder and nuzzled his neck. None of the rest of it mattered anymore. It had been a stupid argument, he never should have gotten so angry. The whole thing had been Torchwood business, not something that concerned their relationship.

"You were dead… I lost you." Ianto pressed his tear-streaked face against Jason's neck and sobbed. "I just found you. I can't lose you, I can't…"

"You won't." He held Ianto tighter.

"But I did!" Ianto cried. "You died! You died right in front of me! You're not like Jack; you won't always come back when you die. You won't…" He dissolved into tears once more and clutched at Jason.

"Oh baby, I'm here now. I'm here." He gently pressed Ianto against the shower wall and framed his face with his hands. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"You were in the dark. You were there, all alone. In the darkness."

Faces flashed through Jason's mind. _Not yet, _they said_._

He wanted to tell Ianto that he'd not been alone, but he wouldn't, not yet. For now he would just hold him and try to make it better.

"Ianto, I'm so sorry. For everything."

"Doesn't matter…"

"It does. It matters a lot," Jason said. "I love you."

Ianto pressed his face against Jason's neck.

"I love you, too." He tightened his grip on Jason. "Don't leave me, not again."

"I promise that I'll try."

Ianto then raised his head, his swollen eyes burning with so many emotions and needs, and kissed him.

No more words were needed as they made love in the shower.

Darkness be damned.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

TBC: Just one chapter today. Sorry it's a little late!!!!


	8. Chapter 7

You get 3 chapters this week. Why only one last time? Simple. I like to have at least 2 chapters extra written and I refuse to post this without triple checking it for mistakes like inconsistencies in plot. Story Arc one is almost at an end!!! Which means Jack will officially meet Jason soon. Poor Ianto!!!

Okay, I have to ask: if you could pick an actor to play Jason, who would it be?

~_~_~_~

Chapter Seven: Conversations

_A space station somewhere_.

"Idiot."

The man in black clothes shot a hate filled look in the direction of the feminine voice.

"Not in the mood, little missy," he said as he staggered and leaned back against the wall. He felt as if he'd been run over by an entire planet. That little Welsh shit could fight. His ribs nearly groaned as he shifted his feet in an attempt to find a more comfortable yet intimidating position.

"Oh, Kahl. What is it with all you 51st century men and your posturing?"

A young woman leaned against the wall opposite, her arms crossed in what almost seemed a casual manner. He knew better. They were both cut from the same cloth. She could be just as cruel and dismissive as he; she was just better at hiding it behind her pretty smile.

"Something you wanted?" he asked.

"Just to warn you, that's all."

On anyone else that bright smile might seem genuine but he could see the fear, the nervousness. If she were afraid, even just a little, then that meant that there was danger. He would have to tread carefully to avoid a fatal mistake.

"Warn me? About what?"

"Mr. Franklin is not happy."

Kahl tensed and looked her in the eye.

"Why?"

"Because he told you to stay here."

"He wants Monroe out of the way! I did him a favor!"

"It's only a favor if you manage to not botch it up."

"Monroe is dead."

He had to be; he'd used one of the most deadly bulleted weapons of the 51st century. His aim had been perfect. Jason Monroe had to be dead.

"No he's not. They were able to keep him alive just long enough for some divine intervention to hide his life force from our scans. He's very much alive."

Kahl frowned, troubled by this news. He had been desperate to get into Mr. Franklin's good books ever since the man had saved him from a life sentence in a Time Agency prison. It was common knowledge that Jason Monroe was the thorn in Mr. Franklin's side. Monroe was the one factor that kept their leader from achieving his goals. He had hoped that by eliminating the 21st century man he would secure his place in the empire they were setting up.

"In fact, he's not only alive, but other than a small scar where the bullet entered him, Jason Monroe is feeling fine. Idiot."

"But how is that possible?" Sweat beaded on his forehead. Not good.

"Divine intervention." She snorted. "Same as when Ianto Jones was hidden in the darkness."

He folded his arms, ignoring the pain in his shoulder where Jones had kicked him, and chewed his lip. This was bad; this was very bad. Mr. Franklin rarely gave anyone a second chance.

"He told you when you first offered that he wanted you to stay away from Monroe. You'll be lucky if he just kills you."

That was a fact, Kahl thought miserably.

~_~_~

September 14, 2014. Late Sunday evening. Jason's house.

The remains of dinner, pot roast and potatoes, waited to be placed in the refrigerator. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee lingered from the empty coffee cups that lay on the coffee table.

Jenny forced Jason to take a few days off from work to recover from dying. In fact, the entire team had demanded that he go home and crawl into bed. He had obeyed, taking Ianto with him. The first two days his lover had waited on him hand and foot, apologizing over and over. He'd had to order Ianto to go back to the base and take charge. The younger man hadn't been too happy but according to the emails and phone calls from the others Ianto was definitely leader material. Reports were finished in half the time, calls were answered swiftly and the base was absolutely spotless. Sam even called to complain that Ianto had made them all work on their target practice until very late.

It was little wonder that Ianto was now zoned out on the couch. The television was on to a movie channel and Ianto sat curled on the couch as the drama played itself out.

Jason watched Ianto for a moment before turning back to the opened document on his laptop. He was in the process of compiling a list of facts and questions that needed answered. The list was short but he knew it held important clues. If only he hadn't waited until now to try to figure it out.

**'Jack Harkness-- incomplete TW employee file. No mention of family. Sister/sister-in-law, Alice Carter. Nephew, Steven Carter. Son, name unknown.'**

**'Yvonne Hartman-- on Board of Directors for TW before conversion/death. Possibly knew about the 456.'**

**'TW Board and UNIT-- are they working together to accomplish something that could affect the entire planet?'**

He frowned. Jenny had confirmed that he had definitely died four days ago. Which meant that the vision he'd experience had most likely been real. Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato, Lisa Hallet and two children linked to Harkness had spoken to him in the darkness. Jason had tried to write down everything they had told him but he'd been too… _distracted_ with Ianto to do it right away. As a result the list was incomplete. And his memories of the darkness were fading quickly. There was something about Harkness, something important that Harper had said, that he needed to ask Ianto about. He couldn't remember what it was.

He had checked the official records for Harkness's file only to find no mention of the Carters or any offspring. It was possible that Harkness himself had hacked into the system a long time ago or that he had worked to keep his family hidden from the Institute. The man had a lot of enemies after all. Jason had considered hiding his own family but had decided against it. If someone wanted to find his weaknesses and exploit his children then no alteration of records would keep them safe. There was also the fact that he wanted them to be able to live normal lives.

"What are you doing?"

"Working on a report. Movie over?"

"No," Ianto said. He leaned against the desk. "It's not very engaging. What's it on?"

"What?"

"The report."

"Oh, just a sort of catalogue about Torchwood. It's an ongoing project. You know, for future generations of agents. Hey," Jason said as an idea came to him. "I don't suppose that there are still files on the Cardiff mainframe available?"

"Doubtful. The server was hidden online but nearly everything was destroyed when Jack made the final move against the 456."

"Hmm."

"Sorry."

"Not your fault."

"I mean, sorry for mentioning Jack. I know you hate it when I do."

Jason closed the notebook and looked up at his lover. The bright blue eyes were filled with a softness that spoke of affection and regret. The latter caused him to reach up and pull the younger man down onto his lap. Once Ianto was cradled close to him, he spoke.

"Don't ever be sorry for feeling, Ianto." He rested his chin on a broad shoulder. "I know I often come across as a jerk whenever Harkness is brought up in conversation but I don't want you to apologize anymore. Yes, I'm jealous of your feelings for him. I'm angry that even after what he did to you, after he abandoned you, that you still can't let go of him."

"I'm starting to," Ianto said softly. "I mean… I never deserved him. I could never have made him happy enough to want to stay. It's the same with you. One day you'll tire of me and leave me too."

"Ianto, I love you. I won't ever leave you. Don't ever doubt that." Jason's voice was firm as he said this.

There was no answer. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Ready for bed?" Ianto asked as he stood.

"It's only eight o'clock. Too early to go to sleep."

Ianto smiled down at him.

"Now who said anything about going to sleep?"

Jason couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

~_~_~

_Five days before. A space station somewhere._

Mr. Franklin looked at the photos on his desk of a woman and her two children. The woman was smiling as she watched the two little boys. She was as lovely in the pictures as she had been when she was alive. And the children; they had been so happy, so full of life.

If he succeeded then he would get to see the woman smile again. He would be able to see the boys as men. They would be together and they would be happy.

To achieve his goal he'd had to alter time. That was not an easy thing to do. When he had first started he had not taken into account the consequences of this act. He had not looked through the timeline closely enough before formulating his plan. Because of this oversight, Ianto Jones had died well before his time. Mr. Franklin had been forced to change his original goal so that he could bring Ianto back to life.

Time. What a fickle bitch she was. Always mucking about everyone's hopes and dreams. Who was she to stop him from gaining eternal happiness with the ones he loved?

_~_~_~_

"You never should have gone to that place and time. You should have waited."

"I know."

The young woman leaned her head back against the wall. She let out a sigh as she considered, only for a moment, running away from this place. Kahl had failed Mr. Franklin several times all ready; how many more chances would he get before he was killed?

Who was to say that any of them would be spared?

She knew that she should not have gotten involved with Mr. Franklin the moment she had met him. But he had promised her so many things that she had found it hard to say no. She had become his eyes and ears at Torchwood Cardiff and had helped him deal with Torchwood One. She had even given up her life to protect his secrets.

"Why is Ianto Jones so damned important anyway?" Kahl asked as he regarded her.

"I don't know. It's not like Mr. Franklin tells me everything."

"No. He tells _her_ everything. We're just the little, pathetic lapdogs."

She couldn't deny that. Mr. Franklin used his charm to draw people to him and then he forced them to stay and work for him once they learned how malicious he really was. Kahl had been in prison for hundreds of Time related crimes. She had been a young girl with a need to prove herself. Both of them had been easily wooed by the man who raped Time.

"Mr. Franklin would like to speak to you, Kahl."

The soft, feminine voice interrupted their thoughts. They both turned to look at the other woman.

Yvonne Hartman, former head of Torchwood One, stood in the corridor with a blank expression on her face.

She was slender with shoulder length blond hair and dead eyes. This woman had once been at the height of power only to lose it and her life at the Battle of Canary Wharf. She was still quite attractive but she was merely a body. The Cybermen had removed her brain. It had been recovered after the battle but it had been badly damaged and no longer functioned correctly. Mr. Franklin had used his vast array of superior technology to make the perfect slave.

"He wants to see me?" Kahl said. The nervousness was obvious in his voice.

"Follow me."

Kahl had no choice but to follow her as she turned away. He threw a look over his shoulder at his companion and noticed the way she looked back. Her eyes were wide with fear and sorrow.

They had to stick together if they were to survive. They had to stick together because they were all that each other had left.

How had he gotten himself into this situation?

~_~_~

_September 20, 2014. Saturday afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont boardroom._

It had been several days since Jason had died and come back to life. Everyone had accepted that Jason and Ianto wanted to be together, even Sam. The tension between Ianto and the rest of the team was still there, it was just less… tense than before.

Ianto sat in the boardroom with two cups of coffee and several reports laid out before him. He had placed Jason's cup on a warmer and was content to work quietly while he waited for his lover. Patience was a virtue that he had been blessed with and he was eternally grateful for it. He was also relatively certain that Jason would be grateful for a cup of hot coffee when he was finished.

It had been a busy couple of days for Torchwood Bluemont. There had been numerous Weevil sightings in addition to a sudden increase of Rift activity. Lots of new alien technology had fallen through. This meant more than just a lot of running around; it meant that there were more reports to be written, discussed and filed away (It also meant that Sam had been complaining about having to do more paperwork).

There was also the debate last Saturday. Ianto had written a detailed report on Retcon, listing the pros and cons and the various incidents where it had been used. Everyone had read the report and had gathered in the boardroom to discuss whether or not it should be used at Bluemont. The pill did have a lot of advantages and would be beneficial where their cover was concerned. A compromise had been reached. The final decision to use Retcon was Jason's, but he would ask Ianto, Jenny, Sam and Miranda for their input before he decided. They spent over three hours that morning discussing it but now everyone was satisfied.

Now he was sitting alone in the boardroom finishing up a report while he waited for Jason to join him.

_Ianto…_

He jerked his head up and looked around. He was alone in the room.

_Ianto!_

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he looked down at the glass-topped table. Directly behind him stood--

"Lisa."

She was dead. She had been dead for a long time. There was no conceivable way she could be here; Jack had ordered her body and the Cyber technology destroyed. He had stood there, tears on his face, and watched as the Captain had cremated his girlfriend.

_Ianto… Be careful, love. _

"What?" he whispered. He stared at her reflection. She was as beautiful now as she had been alive.

_He will try to take it all away from you._

He turned to look at her directly but she was gone. There was no one behind him. Lisa Hallet was gone.

He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose.

_Ianto! Ianto!_

A different voice that was just as gentle, just as missed. Tosh.

Be careful Ianto, please!

The smell of her soft perfume assaulted his senses. But he knew she really wasn't there. She was dead. She had died the day that Jack's brother Gray had tried to destroy them all. Gray had shot her and she had suffered in silence to help Owen.

Owen… He even missed that bastard. His snarkiness, his sarcasm. All of it. He missed them all so much.

Oy, Ianto! You're in danger, Tea Boy! All of you are!

Tears began to trickle down his face. He had tried so hard to reach them in the darkness. The fact that he was in Hell had not mattered to him. All he had wanted at that point was to be with them. Their voices -- Lisa, Owen and Tosh's-- had been just out of reach.

"I'm so sorry that I'm not still there with you," he whispered as he tried to wipe the tears from his face.

"Ianto?"

Jason was startled as his lover pushed his way into his arms. He wrapped his arms tightly around the slighter man.

"What's the matter?" he asked as he tried to settle the trembling body.

"I miss them. I miss all of them. Lisa, Owen and Tosh. Gwen and J-jack. Even Suzie. I miss them so much."

Jason swallowed around the lump that was steadily forming in his throat. Maybe what he needed to do was let Ianto go. Maybe Ianto couldn't be happy with him. Maybe he wasn't good enough for Ianto.

Cool hands framed his face and he looked down into Ianto's tearful blue eyes.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't." Ianto kissed him. "I miss them, I always will. But it's time to let them all go."

"You still love him." It broke Jason's heart to admit that he was only second best.

"I love him but he didn't love me. I have to accept that and move on."

"With me?" He wanted that. He wanted Ianto to be with him forever.

"With you." Ianto smiled and leaned closer. He buried his nose against Jason's neck and breathed in the other man's scent. "I can think of worse people to move on with."

"Come on, let's forget about work for a bit and go get lunch."

"Chinese?"

Jason made a face. "Only if we go to the Chinese buffet in town. The take-out stuff is disgusting."

"I can handle that… if you're paying."

"I'll meet you at the car."

Ianto smiled at him and walked out, closing the door. Jason looked down at the table and frowned.

It was fogged up. He reached down and wiped at the condensation. A pair of brown eyes looked back at him. He had seen these eyes before. He quickly wiped the rest of the mirror to reveal the face.

Toshiko Sato.

"What do you want?" Jason hissed. Thank God the door was closed. Even in Torchwood it looked odd to be talking to oneself while alone in a room.

_Thank you for being there for him. But you must be cautious. Danger is near._

"What?"

_Have you thought about what we discussed before?_

"I tried but I couldn't remember much. Plus it's been busy." He frowned. "You mentioned Yvonne Hartman then. She's not responsible is she? I mean, she personally recruited me."

_Yes, she did. You're being here at Bluemont is not coincidental. _She smiled at him._ Take care of Ianto. He needs you. And he really does love you. He always has._

"Lisa said something similar too. What does that mean? I've only known him a few months."

_Until next time, Jason Monroe._

"Wait!"

But she was all ready gone.

~_~_~

Ten days before. A space station somewhere.

Mr. Franklin sat behind his desk. He looked at the photos of Ianto Jones and Jason Monroe at Torchwood One. They looked so happy, so content. They'd had no idea of what their lives would become. Now both were broken shells of their former selves.

He cared nothing for Monroe; that piss-ant could rot and he wouldn't bat an eye. Ianto Jones, though… That was different. The young man was essential to his plans.

For reasons unknown, Ianto Jones was the love of Jack Harkness's life. He was nowhere near good enough for the other man but what mattered most was Jack's happiness. The young Welshman made Jack happy. That was why he had to be kept safe. Very soon Jack would be reunited with his lover.

He picked up a photograph of Monroe. Somehow the man had managed to once again trick Ianto into his bed. This was intolerable. He had thought that he had dealt with this all ready. Monroe was a threat to his plans. Unfortunately, his little affair with the boy complicated things. Monroe could not be allowed to continue as it was. But then, perhaps it was better this way.

Life had not been easy for Jack. He had lived on a small planet that was under constant threat of invasion. The invaders had taken his brother from him and filled him with anger and resentment at a very young age. He had been betrayed by the Time Agency when two years of his memories were stolen. To then be tossed backwards in time to this filthy planet had to have been traumatizing. Jack had been so far removed from the technology and customs of his own time. It was not fair that he should have to suffer so much. When Ianto Jones died in his arms, it had been the final blow to the man's mind and soul.

That was why Mr. Franklin was so determined that his plan succeed.

He was not sure how but Jack was unable to stay dead. No doubt it was a complicated, perhaps even painful, process but he had accomplished the one thing that so many had attempted to do for centuries. Captain Jack Harkness had found a way to become Immortal.

And no doubt he would share that knowledge with him. Together they would then be powerful enough to rule this primitive little planet. The first thing he had to do though was give Jack Ianto Jones. The boy was the one thing that Jack treasured above all else. There was the matter of the damage done to be dealt with first.

To save Ianto Jones from death had not been easy. Through careful research he had learned about Jack's life-saving energy and that the optimal way of transmitting it was through an oral connection. However the energy alone would not be enough to save the boy. There was also no guarantee that they would kiss at the right time for the energy to build up. A small device salvaged from the 51st century was implanted beneath Ianto's skin a few weeks before the 456 arrived. The device as well as the energy of the kisses was enough to ensure that Ianto appeared dead but remained alive. The problem with that was that Ianto Jones had been born in the 2oth century; his body was not able to adapt to the procedure. The use of the device coupled with the life-saving energy of Jack's kiss caused serious brain damage. The damage was so severe that if he had given Ianto back to Jack in that condition then there would be even more anger than there had been before. Jack would have blamed him for his partner's pain. Mr. Franklin brought Ianto to this space station as soon as the burial service had finished and began the process of restoring his body and mind.

There were complications that only made it worse. Ianto Jones was brain dead for several months before he began to respond. The doctors he had acquired experimented on the brain and found many suppressed memories. While there were a few forgotten memories of Jack and Torchwood Cardiff, most were of Jason Monroe and Torchwood One. The different sets of memories warred for dominance. His brain was dying under the assault of returning memories and many times he had to be resuscitated. Even once his brain began to function without machines he was unable to function on his own. He had to be retaught everything, from how to walk and talk to driving a car and firing a gun. No, Jack would not have been happy to receive such a damaged partner.

Mr. Franklin knew that if he were not cautious then Jack would discover that Ianto was alive all too soon. 51st century medical equipment did not work properly for a 21st century body. He had Ianto sent to a UNIT hospital immediately after his awakening. He had also sent a small team of his own people there to keep watch. It would not do for Jack to find Ianto before he was completely repaired. Even after his body had healed there was still the matter of the mental rehabilitation.

It was really a shame that a few UNIT officers had been worried and afraid. That was why they had gone behind his back and sent Ianto to Bluemont. Torchwood and UNIT worked together often; it was probable that Jack would come to the UNIT base at some point. Jack had actually walked right by the room where Ianto had been kept. If he had gone through the doors he would have found his lover and taken him away.

But it was too soon. The rest of the pieces needed to be in place before they could reunite. And so Mr. Franklin had ordered Kahl to eliminate those responsible.

UNIT, like the Torchwood Institute, was held under his thumb. He twisted them to suit his purposes.

He had seduced Yvonne Hartman when she was a young agent and helped her rise quickly to the top. The stupid woman had been easily deluded into believing that he was in love with her. Her claims to absolute loyalty to the Crown were a joke and a cover for her feelings for him. She would have done anything to help him. The Ghost Shift experiments had been part of his master plan. The energy from a dimensional shift was immense and provided him with enough power to keep his Time/Dimension station operating indefinitely. So the stupid woman had kissed him and obeyed his orders. When the Cybermen had converted her he had managed to salvage her body and brain. She did as she was told and provided him with the means to alleviate his body's own sexual needs. She was his mindless slave.

The door to his office opened and Hartman stepped inside along with Kahl.

"Ah, there you are. Have a seat, dear boy. We need to talk."

~_~_~

September 29, 2014. Monday morning. Torchwood base, Cardiff.

Gwen Cooper sat at her desk as she wrote a report. It had been a long couple of days and all she wanted to do was go home and curl up next to Rhys as they sat by the fire. Instead she wrote her report and found her mind wandering to how much she had changed since joining Torchwood.

Just a few years ago she had been PC Gwen Cooper. Now she was the second in command of a secret organization that hunted aliens. She was also married to Rhys and had a child with him. It was funny just how much things could change in a few years.

She leaned back and stretched to get the kinks out. Her eyes fell onto the selection of photos that were on display on her desk. One was a picture of her and Rhys as they danced at their wedding; alien bloodstains and all. It made her smile as she remembered the fiasco. The picture next to it was of the two them in the hospital right after she'd given birth to her son Edward. There was also a picture of her son as he was now, dressed in his school uniform and covered with mud. So many memories contained in a few frames. They were all happy memories. She treasured them so much. They were sometimes the only things that kept her from losing her mind.

She ran a hand through her hair and then swept the long locks into a bun. Even though she worked for a special ops organization and was a mother and wife, she was bored. The Rift had been growing in both size and intensity for a while now and it was draining all of her time. At least Rhys was now completely comfortable (or at least as much as he could be) with her job. He was her biggest supporter and a fantastic partner. While she worked and slaved every day to keep aliens from taking over her darling husband battled the kitchen to provide home-cooked meals as well as take care of their child. Edward adored his parents yet it was clear that he was Daddy's boy. It warmed her heart that even though she had mistreated Rhys so many times since joining Torchwood that something good had come from it all.

Gwen let out a girly chuckle and pushed her chair back. She spun it around a couple of times and put her feet out to stop herself against the wall. Her gaze fell onto the ledge that she had installed there. There were several items on top; a chipped mug with a bonsai plant inside, two pairs of eye glasses, a small notebook with messy handwritten notes and two photographs.

It was these photographs that caught her eye and made her smile fade.

The first was of the team she had started out with. Herself, Jack, Owen, Tosh and Ianto all stood before the Hub's water tower. All of them had smiles on their faces. The second picture was of her and Ianto attempting to pull Jack's coat off. Rhys had laughed as he took the candid picture. They had been so happy back then.

And we never believed that we would be able to move past losing Owen and Tosh. That we would be able to laugh and smile and be happy again.

So many lives lost because of arrogance and ignorance. Torchwood had a history of both. Owen, Tosh and Ianto should have still been alive.

There were times when she felt as if Owen and Tosh were still there beside her. Sometimes she caught glimpses of them in the mirror. There were whispers in her ear of voices she longed to hear again.

The Hub had been rebuilt but it still had the same basic layout. Every time she stepped into the autopsy bay she felt as if Owen was there watching her. The space where Tosh's desk had been was now the coffee station but she could hear the sound of fingers on a keyboard whenever she fixed herself a coffee.

Coffee. Ianto.

Two things that went together like the ocean and sand.

She had never felt Ianto.

After his funeral, she had gone with Jack to clear out his flat. It had been trashed. Jack had informed her that Ianto's life would not go into a traditional Torchwood lockdown. Instead he had taken everything in the flat and placed it in a secret location known only to him. It was only after he had returned a year later that he had moved everything into the remodeled Hub. Now all of Ianto's belongings sat in a room in the basement.

She remembered the conversation that they'd had the day of Ianto's funeral so well. Jack had broken down and sobbed in her arms. It had finally hit him that Ianto was gone.

_"I love him. I love him and I was too afraid to tell him. Why him? Why?"_

As hot tears poured down her own face she had held Jack in her arms. To be honest she was not sure if it was just the latest loss or the fact that she knew Jack would never stop losing people that had devastated her.

When they had arrived at Ianto's flat Jack had first gone into the bedroom. Then he had gone crazy with rage. Ianto's diary had been missing as well as some other items of a personal nature. The diary had been Ianto's most important possession. The idea that someone had stolen his deepest, most intimate thoughts had angered Jack. Even now, five years later, he had not forgiven UNIT and Johnson for losing the diary.

Six months after the burials of his lover and grandson he had fled Earth all together. It had taken him a year after the tragedy to start to live again. Gwen was still not sure why he'd chosen to come back. A part of him was dead. Jack claimed it was because being on Earth made him feel closer to the ones he'd lost but there was an emptiness in his eyes. He said that at least being here he could visit their resting places and fight to prevent more deaths.

He had managed to move on. In fact he had taken a few lovers in the time since Ianto's death but it was clear that none of them had captured his heart the way that the Tea Boy had.

On the one-year anniversary of Ianto's death, Jack and Gwen had gone to visit his grave. It was the first time that Jack had been there since the burial. Jack had said that he needed closure if he was to forgive himself for what he believed was his fault. He also told her that he had let Ianto down so many times that he deserved the pain.

_"I took him for granted so many times. I couldn't even say what was in my heart as he died. And now he's alone in the dark."_

_"No, Jack, he's not. Owen, Tosh and Lisa are there with him. They're looking after him and keeping him company. They're all probably watching us now. We have to believe that."_

_"I want to believe that so much. I loved him. I still do. I always will do."_

_"He knew that. Even though you couldn't say it; he knew. After all, you left so many times and yet you always came back."_

_"I came back for him. Every time it was for him. Always for him."_

Gwen sighed and stood. She walked to the door of her office and looked at over the Hub. Five years had passed since three amazing people and one brave little boy lost their lives. So many others had been saved because of them and hardly anyone knew. Five years since Gwen had begun to pretend that she was used to the loss. But she wasn't; she probably never would get used to it. There was an emptiness inside her that made her heart ache. Every day she began to forget them a little bit more and it was breaking her heart.

Owen's mean, almost vulgar sense of humor. Tosh's soft smile, filled with excitement, as she worked on some new program. Ianto's sharp wit and expressive eyes. The three of them had made Torchwood a place she loved coming to each day. They had all worked so well together that even when they argued it was enjoyable.

It was all gone.

Owen and Tosh, Ianto… They were all gone forever. What made it worse was that all had died so lonely.

She liked to think that Owen and Tosh knew how they both felt. She also prayed that she was right and that Ianto realized it was so hard for Jack to admit his own feelings. If she were wrong, then she hoped she never found out. To die so alone was worse than being in the dark.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She turned and looked at her best friend, her only remaining link to the Torchwood she had stumbled upon a few years back.

"Jack."

The Immortal man was leant against the wall next to her with a blank expression on his handsome face.

"Mrs. Cooper."

"Cute."

"I know I am. Anything the matter?"

"No, not really. Just thinking."

"About…?"

She bit her lip and looked away.

"About how different my life is now. All of the things we've seen and done these last five years and how much different it would all be if they were here with us."

She didn't have to say the names; Jack knew who she was talking about. The blank expression darkened and he turned away.

"If you don't mind, I have a report to finish."

She watched as he walked away. He had been able to talk about Owen and Tosh when they died but it was different now. After Ianto's death Jack had stopped saying all three names. If he had to refer to something that any of them had been associated with he simply said 'we' or 'they'.

Somehow she doubted that Jack would ever get over losing Ianto Jones.

She sighed and walked back into her office. Her monitor lit up and she turned to it.

The Rift was once again increasing in size and energy. This was troublesome. She wondered what was causing it. A part of her wanted to ignore it but she knew that it had to be dealt with. Jack didn't know what was causing it so she knew that soon they would have to enlist help.

It was times like this when she really missed the other three.

~_~_~

20 days before. A space station somewhere.

Kahl sat across from Mr. Franklin. He was nervous; he had messed up and he knew it.

"So you chose to go against my orders."

"I…" He swallowed. "I was confused. I thought you wanted Monroe out of the way."

"I do. However, I had something different in mind. Not to mention that you didn't kill him and got yourself beaten in the process." Mr. Franklin's face hardened as he looked at the younger man. "You are to leave Monroe and Jones be. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Kahl said. He rubbed at his sore wrist. If it weren't for the fact that Mr. Franklin owned him he would have gone after Ianto Jones. For some reason the piece of ass was important so he couldn't touch him.

"Good. Now get out."

The Time Agent slipped out the door and Mr. Franklin turned around in his chair. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a small box. As he lifted the lid he inhaled the scent of the white sand it contained. It was the sand of his home world; sand of a world that had been destroyed both long ago and not yet. It was a beautiful scent.

"Just a little longer, my sweets, and then nothing will stop us. This world will be ours'."

He looked down at a framed picture of a woman and two young boys.

"Soon."

He smiled.

"Mr. Franklin?"

"Ah, Miss Costello! Do come in. Mind the door, please."

Suzie forced a bland smile onto her face as she walked towards the man who owned her, body and soul.

Hartman wasn't the only slave here.

~_~_~

October 5, 2014. Sunday evening. Apartment above the grocer.

Jason yawned. It was Sunday, to him the laziest day of the week. He enjoyed this day because the Rift almost always cooperated and gave them the entire day to rest and recuperate. Nothing could ruin his day of rest. Nothing at all.

"Jason, can we talk? There's something I want to discuss with you."

Except for that.

"Okay," Jason said carefully, wary of a trap. "Let's talk." He sipped at his coffee and waited. In every relationship there was always a fear of discussion, whether it was The Talk or something else. Since he was relatively sure that Ianto wasn't pregnant (unless he'd been bitten again and was just now telling him) and they'd already had The Talk, he was very anxious as to what Ianto could want to talk about.

"It's about me and Jack."

Jason tensed and looked at his lover. "What about you two?"

"You know I still love him." Ianto sighed and set his coffee down. "I always will. You know that too. But I am with you. This is not a casual fling." He took Jason's cup and placed it next to his own. "I am with _you_. I love _you_."

"I love you too," Jason whispered hoarsely. "And I can live with your memories of Harkness, only because I have to. But I don't think that I could take it if you left me for someone else. Especially if it's him."

Ianto reached out and cradled Jason's face in his hands. He pressed his lips against his lover's forehead.

"I am not going to leave you. I promise. I couldn't even if I tried. You've gotten under my skin and ingrained yourself onto my heart."

"Then what's the matter?"

"I need to tell you about him and me so that I can truly move on and focus on us."

"All right. Tell me."

Ianto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had toyed with the idea of telling Jason this. Was it really his place to tell Jack's secrets? Did he have that right? A small part of him worried what Jack would do if he found out but Ianto felt it was important that he explain as much as he could to Jason so that he could gain some closure.

"We never knew his real name. He was born in the 51st century on a small Earth colony world called the Boeshane Peninsula."

Jason settled back onto the couch and pulled Ianto close to him. He angled his body so that his lover knew he had his undivided attention.

"You know who the Doctor is? Torchwood's number one enemy?"

"Hartman mentioned him a few times. Claimed he was dangerous. But then, she said that about all aliens so I never paid it any mind," Jason said.

"Well, Jack was friends with him. He was part of an association called the Time Agency and as such could travel backwards in time. He found himself in the 1940's and that's where he met the Doctor. They traveled together for a while. They ended up somewhere where a battle took place between them and aliens of superior technology. Jack was killed."

"Killed? But he's alive now…" Something tugged at Jason's memories and whispered to him to _listen. Just listen._ Answers to some of his many questions would be given if he would _just listen._

"He was brought back to life using the Doctor's time machine. It was supposed to be a one-off but the energy was uncontrolled and he was made a Fixed Point in--"

"Time and Space." Jason stared at him. "That's why you said that to me the day I died isn't it?" He drew in a shuddering breath. Now he remembered. Jack Harkness couldn't _stay_ dead.

"He's immortal," Ianto whispered. He clasped his lover's hand tightly. "He ages, but at so slow a pace that it won't be noticeable in our lifetime, probably longer. He's been alive for over 150 years. He's died so many times. He's loved so many only to be alone. He'll always end up alone."

Jason couldn't help but notice the tears that had begun to leak from his lover's eyes. He reached up and wiped at them with his thumb.

Ianto looked away. "Can you imagine watching someone you care about grow old while you stay young? Everyday, I grow a little older, and he's _immortal_…" His voice cracked. "I knew when we first started whatever it was we were starting, when we got involved, that Jack wouldn't stay with me. I knew that if I managed to live to grow old and wrinkled, he wouldn't stay. He wouldn't be there to see it."

"Why do you think that? Yes, I wanted to just get you in bed when we met but looks are only part of the equation. It's your massive personality, your vividness and thirst for life that makes me want more. That's what makes a relationship last, looking past the outside."

"Maybe if you're in love it is." Ianto picked up his coffee and sipped it. He looked down at the dark brew as if it had answers. It didn't. "My feelings were one-sided. I knew it; I always knew it. I wanted to believe that he loved me but it wasn't true. Maybe he cared a little bit but it was more about controlling me. Perhaps he thought that by sleeping with me, making me feel things again then he was assured that I wouldn't ever betray him."

The tears flowed hotly down his face but he didn't care. He had cried when Lisa had gotten loose, Jack killed by Abbadon and returned and when he himself was dying had he let the tears fall. His tears always followed death. He had always managed to hold the tears back the rest of the time. There was something about being with Jason though that made him feel that it was all right to cry. He felt safe with Jason, comfortable, familiar.

"I don't think he meant to be so cold. Jack can't die. He will live forever. He will always lose the people he loves." He rested his head on Jason's shoulder. Even though it was difficult to talk about this, he felt better for doing it. He felt as if the burden of guilt he'd been carrying since his awakening had begun to lift from his shoulders.

"I've often wondered if Jack had trained himself to get over pain and loss quickly. Why let yourself get attached to someone when you know you'll lose them one day?"

"That's a pitiful excuse, Ianto," Jason said sharply. "When I married Kate I knew that one day one of us would be widowed. I was a cop; I could have died on the job. I didn't let it stop me from loving her though."

"Do you still?" Ianto whispered. His heart ached at the thought of losing another lover. First Lisa, then Jack… He couldn't handle it if he lost Jason too.

"I loved the person she _was_, I don't love the person she's _become_."

"What changed?"

Jason was silent for a moment. Ianto had told him something big. He had opened up to him about something that was important to him. Could he do that as well? Was he capable of discussing the pain and humiliation he'd felt for so long now? He looked down at Ianto's face, open and waiting, and knew that he could. He could talk to Ianto about anything and not be judged.

"We were twenty years old when we got married. Kids playing grown-up." Jason's smile was bitter. "A couple kids later, with mortgages and bills piling up, we realized it wasn't a game. We had to stop playing and actually grow up." He shook his head at the stupidity of youth. "But we weren't ready to deal with the responsibility. Between the kids and my job, I guess she felt neglected. She started an affair with my best friend. A year later she was pregnant with my youngest and was worried that the baby wasn't mine. That's why she confessed. I tried to make it work. I tried to get over the fact that she had sought comfort in another man's arms and it was so hard."

"Yet you stayed with her," Ianto whispered. Although he had never truly betrayed Lisa with Jack, he knew that she had known his heart was torn between her and the Captain. If he had actually cheated on her he doubted she would have been able to forgive him.

"I was taught that when you get married, it's 'til death do us part'. Divorce was a foreign concept to us. But it didn't work so we divorced. My family supported my decision even though they had hoped we would stay together. We all realized we stayed together because of the kids. I was recruited by Torchwood and relocated to London for two years."

"It's weird that I don't remember ever seeing you there. Any of the internationals for that matter. I mean, sure it was a big place but you'd think I'd have noticed something." Ianto snuggled closer, enjoying the subtle scent that put him at ease as well as the change of subject.

"I think the Institute planned on us making our public debut before Canary Wharf. Hartman went on and on about an international conference that would be held in London for all the Torchwoods, new and old. But when the tower was destroyed, the Institute decided that we would all become independent to our separate governments. There's minimal contact between the continents. I think the only reason we communicate with Canada is because it's part of North America. Anyway, when were you in London?"

"I started January of 2005."

"Ah, that's it then. I was gone by December 2004. We missed each other by a couple weeks or so."

"Hmm… makes sense." Ianto pulled away and looked at him. "Jason, are we… are we okay?"

"That depends. Am I a consolation prize?"

"Nope." Ianto reached over and plucked at his shirt buttons. "I would have destroyed the world for Jack Harkness to make him happy. I knew a long time ago that I could never have a normal life with him. I don't regret any of it, even the parts that hurt." He shifted closer to his lover. "But it's different with you. The things I would do for you… For you, I will never destroy the world. I'll protect it so that we can grow old here together. I will protect this planet and everything on it for the rest of my life just so that I can be worthy of you."

He reached for Jason's belt and looked up at him. He untucked the shirt and undid the buttons. His blue eyes were almost purple with arousal as he pulled his own shirt off to reveal the pale skin of his torso.

"I have just one more thing to say." His voice was deeper, husky with desire.

"What's that?"

Ianto smiled and whispered in his ear, "Take me."

Jason couldn't get Ianto naked fast enough.

~_~_~

Cardiff. The same day. Torchwood Hub, Gwen Cooper-Williams' office.

The Rift was expanding, she was sure of it.

Gwen chewed her lip and looked at the latest readings. The Rift over Cardiff was slowly but surely moving outwards in a straight line. Her fingers danced across the keyboard as she tried to figure out what was happening.

_Beep_.

She clicked on the results and frowned.

Bluemont, West Virginia, USA.

According to the computer projections the Rift was moving to merge with the smaller Rift in the United States.

"Bluemont, Bluemont," she murmured. "Now why do I feel I should know it…"

She closed her eyes and tried to think, to remember. It was there just out of reach.

A folder in the file cabinet.

She had gone down to the Archives after forcing the others to go home. It was just a few days after she had been made leader during Jack's disappearance. After Tosh had relinquished her own authority to her. Gwen had wanted to familiarize herself with the Archives and knew it would be hard if Ianto were there. He had been so protective of his files and the system in which he stored them. So she had sent them home before creeping back down to look around.

The large number of files collected over the decades piqued her curiosity. She had opened up drawers and thumbed through the folders like a kid in a candy shop. One drawer had been difficult to open. She had been forced to pry it open and she had been disappointed to see only a single folder inside.

Now, a few years later, she tried to recall what the label on the folder had said.

"International…. _International_…. But what _about_ international?"

She had opened the folder and scanned the first page with interest. But she couldn't remember why. There had been a Rift alert and she'd shoved the folder back into the drawer before running off. She had never gone back down there alone again.

She opened her eyes and looked at her monitor. She minimized the program she had been using and opened up the Archive database.

There were nearly a thousand results for the keyword 'international'. So she typed in 'Bluemont' and nearly squealed when she saw only one result listed.

"Torchwood Bluemont base number 71," she read aloud. "Headed by Jason Monroe since 2004. Located directly over a Time and Space Rift, Torchwood Bluemont directly deals with aliens and alien technology. The staff has encountered over 120 alien species; over 70 are unique to the base. They have regular contact with all North American bases as well as with the Torchwood Institute Board of Directors. The US government works closely with Monroe and his staff, which consists of six individuals." _Now_ she was getting somewhere.

Gwen called up an image of Monroe and couldn't suppress a dreamy sigh as she looked at him. The man was _gorgeous_. He was at least as handsome as Jack. Too bad there was no information on his current status. The lone report in the database was dated April 6, 2007. For all she knew the man was dead and the base run by someone else.

But at least now she had a better idea of what was going on. The Cardiff Rift, one of five known Rifts on the planet, was extending itself to Bluemont. From past experience she knew that if the Rifts were to merge there would be terrible consequences. The one time that the Cardiff Rift had been opened, the entire world had been affected.

Although it had been funny to watch the camera footage and see Ianto shoot Owen… Even now the righteous indignation of both men could make her smile.

"I was aiming for your shoulder," she said in a good approximation of the Welshman's voice. Her lips curved upwards as she recalled that moment in her life. Only those two men could loathe each other and like each other in the same five minutes.

She shook herself and looked back down at the monitor.

"Okay, Ianto, Owen, time to get back to work." She giggled at her little joke. As long as she made herself think of the ones she had lost she knew she would be able to remember them. She had to remember them; they were still so important to her. That thought alone was enough to make her dive back into the mess of the Rift expansion. They, and Tosh for that matter, wouldn't have had it any other way.

A little _ding_ sounded to alert her to a new email. She glanced at it; it was from Rhys.

"Email…"

All Torchwood employees had email addresses. Would Monroe have one as well?

"It's worth a shot. Okay… let's see." She dug up the old Torchwood Employee Database and searched for the name Jason Monroe. There was an email address listed. All she had to do was try it. If Monroe was alive then maybe he could help. After all, the Rifts were attempting to merge.

She opened up a new draft and began to type. As soon as she finished she clicked 'send' and crossed her fingers.

All that she could do was wait. In the meantime she decided to learn all that she could about the international Torchwoods. It might prove useful in the future and it would take her mind off of things she would rather not think about.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Beginning of the Conspiracy Theory

_October 6, 2014. Monday morning. Jason's office._

_TO: "J. Monroe, Bluemont"_

_FROM: "G. Cooper-Williams, Cardiff"_

_SUBJECT: Expansion_

_Hello! My name is Gwen Cooper-Williams and I am Second in Command at TW Three in Cardiff, Wales, UK. I have been working for TW for about seven years so I know a little something about Rifts. You may recall a few years back when the Rift in Cardiff splintered and cracked, sending the world into chaos. I must admit that it was our fault. Thankfully everything worked out._

_The reason I am writing you is that I believe the Rift is expanding. It appears to be of natural causes. We have been monitoring the Rift for several months as it has increased in activity. The thing is, our Rift is slowly but steadily expanding to merge with the Rift in Bluemont. Naturally, this is a cause of great concern. We're hoping that nothing bad will come as a result of the expansion but we are being cautious._

_If you have any information that could help, please contact me directly. I'm hoping to solve this problem before it becomes a full-blown crisis._

_Thank you for your time and please respond at your earliest convenience._

_Sincerely,_

_Gwen Cooper-Williams_

~_~_~

Jason stared at the monitor. His face was blank. The screen glowed softly as the official Torchwood Employee Electronic Messaging Service web page stared back at him.

Gwen Cooper-Williams had joined Torchwood a few months after Ianto. She was there during the 456 incident five years ago. But she had gone on record as leaving Torchwood to live with her husband in Swansea to raise a family. The base had never been rebuilt, the hole from the explosion had been filled and the whole place was now a shopping center and car park.

Jason logged out without replying and leaned back in his chair. He was unsure exactly what to think. When the Cardiff base had been destroyed all of the other Torchwoods had received word of its destruction. The North American bases had been horrified and disgusted at the British government's role in the whole mess. As a direct result of this, Jason and the other American leaders had as little contact as possible with the UK.

So why was he receiving email from someone who was no longer affiliated with Torchwood? There was more going on here that what it seemed. Toshiko Sato had even hinted that he already knew that when she'd first spoken to him. With a frown Jason stood and began to pace his office. He needed to find out more; an investigation was necessary. He would handle this on his own. Although he did not doubt the loyalty of any of his employees, he would keep this to himself for now.

Five days passed since he did _not_ respond to Cooper's email. He instead worked on solving the mystery. According to the Torchwood Employee Database Gwen Cooper was not a part of the Institute.

Jason knew that _someone_ was lying to him. _Someone_ was deceiving him. He was _not_ happy. His thoughts strayed towards his lover who was sitting at Shelly's desk eating lunch with the girl. He looked at them through the tinted window of his office. He frowned as he considered the possibility that it was _Ianto_ who was lying. He refused to believe that. There was no way that he would sleep with someone who would betray and use him like that.

_Ah, but he's deceived people before,_ his subconscious voice whispered._ Remember Harkness's report on the Cyberman hidden in the Hub? Ianto put it there. All he got was the equivalent to a slap on the wrist. Who's to say he isn't using deception even now? Harkness could be here now, watching you and waiting for the opportune time to strike. They could easily be working together to destroy you._

He refused to believe that his lover was involved in anything of the sort. No, Ianto Jones was not a serpent ready to bite.

The last few days he'd spent hours hacking into the Torchwood databases but he couldn't find anything of use. He was beginning to suspect that whoever was behind the deception had people employed at various locations and were feeding him false data.

He was beyond frustrated and it showed. He could hardly get more than a few hours' sleep each night (and that was after thoroughly wearing both Ianto and himself out, twice!). They all tried to stay out of his way and give him the space he obviously needed.

Only one person even tried to talk to him. On the afternoon of the fifth day Ianto brought him a coffee and whispered in his ear that he would be most _appreciative_ if Jason would do that 'little bit with your tongue that make my toes curl' when they got home that evening. Normally this would be against the boundaries they had established so he knew that Ianto knew something was bothering him so he had told Ianto to get back to work and he'd take his 'suggestion' into account. Once he'd sent everyone home, he had driven like a man possessed to Ianto's apartment and proceeded to reduce his lover into a mass of quivering limbs and tingling nerves. It had helped alleviate his lover's concern but not his own.

Now he sat on the couch drinking a beer and trying to work out his dilemma. He knew that some of the others would immediately try to pin the blame on his lover. If he took Ianto's side it would make him seem biased.

Jason looked over at the bed and could not help but smile as he thought of the second coupling they had engaged in earlier. Ianto had turned the tables and taken control. The next couple of hours had been completely wild and untamed as Ianto tried to erase the bad thoughts from his mind.

Too bad it hadn't worked. It would have meant that right now Jason would be curled up next to the warm body, not sitting in the dark naked.

"Such a serious face."

Jason smiled at his lover. Ianto was sat up on the bed, rubbing a hand over his sleep-filled eyes.

"Did I wake you?" He hated how his lover always seemed more tired than he should have been.

"No, the empty bed did that. But it's up to you to remedy the situation."

Even half-sleep Ianto was sexy and incredibly hard to resist. Too bad they both needed the sleep more than the sex.

Jason stood and finished his beer before walking back to the bed. He pulled back the covers and settled himself against the other man. Ianto twisted around so that his body was curled around Jason's and he rested his head against the broad chest with a contented sigh.

"Whatever it was that woke you up and kept you awake will still be there in the morning. Now go to sleep."

Jason fixed his arms securely around the slight waist and closed his eyes.

~_~_~

_October 5, 2014. Sunday afternoon. Applebee's Bar and Grill. Huntington, WV._

"I received an e-mail from Gwen Cooper of Torchwood Three recently. She's no longer employed by the Institute. The Cardiff base has supposedly been rebuilt into a shopping plaza and the Rift is unchecked. So I'll be blunt. I think we're being deceived. There's some kind of conspiracy going on. Someone's not being truthful with us."

"You mean Ianto?" Jenny asked while Sam scowled.

"No. I don't think he knows about it."

"So what's the problem?" Miranda asked.

"Right after he came here I got the files on Ianto and they matched his story as well as what the Institute and UNIT told us." He looked at them each in turn. "We are not pointing fingers. We can't afford the risk of tearing the team apart with suspicion. We don't know what his role in this is or if he even knows."

Jenny carefully cut her steak and took a bite before speaking. "In other words, he might have been deceived as well. There's a possibility that Ianto has been lied to from the start about his purpose at Bluemont."

"Unfortunately, you're probably right. Which leads to my next concern," Jason said. "I've been trying to find out anything I can but I think the servers have been tampered with. Someone is making sure that I can't find answers. I didn't want to involve you all until I had an idea of what we're up against but I've reached a dead-end. Not all of my top-level pass codes are working; I need in the secure databases and Hartman's files."

"Well, have Susan and Bobby try," Sam said. "No one can hack-n-crack like those two."

"I want as few of us as possible to work on or even know about this. If there _is_ a conspiracy of some sort, the fewer involved the better." Jason reached for his salad and drizzled dressing onto it. They never gave enough dressing in these places, as far as he was concerned. He liked to saturate his salad, to drown it, dammit.

Miranda frowned, deep in thought. "Maybe we should look to see if it was really Gwen Cooper who contacted you? It might have been an impostor trying to get a foot in the door. Someone who knows about us and the Institute, someone who has a secret agenda."

"We need to find out," Jason said as he reached for his water.

"How?" Jenny asked.

"Satellite," Miranda said. At their confused looks she added, "We can use the same program we use for contacting the other bases."

"I get it," Sam said. "We can monitor the old base and watch for Cooper."

"Exactly. Of course, with that much distance involved it will take a little tweaking."

"Of the alien variety?"

"Yup."

"Okay, let's keep this on the down-low until we learn more. No mention of anything, don't sneak off to chat about it, especially _not in the base_. I don't want to think of anyone there being an enemy but it's entirely possible that the place is crawling with bugs and I don't mean cockroaches. There's also a chance that whoever's running the show is close by, watching us. So no one knows that we're sitting here talking about anything except the weather. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

Jason loved his team. He knew he could count on them. With a smile he looked down at his salad. The smile turned into a scowl.

He still needed more dressing though.

~_~_~

_October 10, 2014. Friday evening. Cardiff, Roald Dahl Plass._

A pretty black woman in her twenties emerged from a small building with a sign that read 'Mermaid Quay Tourist Information Office'. She wore a gray coat and carried a small, stylish purse.

"Oh, Jack, really!"

She looked up and smiled. A woman in her thirties laughed as she walked alongside a man. The woman was plain, but eye-catching with bright green eyes, a gap in her front teeth and shoulder length dark brown hair. The man next to her was strikingly handsome in his long blue coat. Both were in good spirits as they walked towards the younger woman. Anyone would have thought that they were a couple but that was so far from the truth.

"Captain Harkness, Gwen. Good evening."

"Lois! Not leaving us so soon, I hope! The night's young." Jack waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

The younger woman smiled and shook her head. "You are such a flirt, you know that? And no, just popping out to grab a bite to eat. Want anything?"

"Fish and chips," Jack replied with a grin.

"Got it. Anything for you Gwen?"

"No thanks. Rhys is making spag bol tonight." Gwen pulled her arm free from her companion's. "Any messages for me?"

"Nothing urgent. Just something from the PM concerning the budget and Andy Davidson stopped by to give you tickets to that show you and Rhys have been dying to see."

"Great!" Gwen's face brightened. "I'm just going to head in to my office and check my email."

"You've done that a lot recently," Jack said. "Anything in particular?"

"Coupons for a department store. Lots of good deals!" Gwen smiled back.

"Okay. Well, I'll go with Lois to get dinner. Sure you don't want anything?"

"Positive Jack. Dinner with the wife and kid; can't pass that up!"

"I'll be sure to tell Rhys what a good wife he is when I see him!"

"Oy! Jack!"

Jack and Lois laughed and waved as they walked off.

With a shake of her head, Gwen unlocked the door to the tourist office. Once through the door she let out a heavy sigh. It had been five days since she sent Monroe an email and as of yet there'd been no reply. Considering the subject of the message, if he were still alive then wouldn't he be concerned? And even if he were dead, wouldn't the email have been forwarded to the person in charge? It was part of the standard procedure after all. When Jack had run off after his Doctor all of his email messages had been forwarded first to Tosh's and then to her inbox.

Maybe they just didn't care…

She had found a great deal of information on the international Torchwoods these last few days. The North American bases worked closely together to provide information and expertise. Unfortunately the information in the database was a few years out of date. It was possible that the Institute had scrapped the international program after the 456. It had been a bit of a shock for her to find out that the Institute was still going strong. Only the head of Torchwood One had been killed by the Cybermen, not the Borad of Directors. The Torchwood Institute was still run by the Board. Jack's 'supreme authority' had been in name only. Even the enigmatic Captain had been forced to capitulate to the Board's demands. He had been given a great deal of freedom to run Torchwood Three as he desired but he still answered to a higher power.

Gwen was not about to admit that she knew the truth to Jack. At least not yet. Idly she wondered if Agnes, the Torchwood Assessor, knew about any of this. It would explain how she had been able to awaken even when Torchwood One was destroyed. The former assessor would have answered to the _Institute_, not a single base.

Maybe one day she'd have all the answers to her questions but that day was not here and now.

~_~_~

_October 16, 2014. Thursday morning. Torchwood Bluemont Boardroom._

Jason, Sam, Miranda and Jenny watched the image of three people on the television. On the computer monitor were three pictures. The pictures on the monitor matched the images on the television.

"Lois Habiba, Gwen Cooper and Captain Jack Harkness," Susan read from the employee database. "Habiba signed on right after the 456 incident and took on the role of PR and Archivist. Cooper is second in command under Captain Harkness. According to my findings, none of them left Torchwood completely. Harkness disappeared for about a year after the 456 but eventually chose to come back. Cooper had recently given birth, a boy named Edward, and relinquished control to Harkness."

"I thought that Harkness and Cooper had both left," Miranda said. "Ianto gave that impression."

"So maybe he lied," Sam said. "If he's working with Harkness--"

"I would stop right there if I were you."

They all turned to look at Jason. His eyes were dark as he gazed at the television.

"He's deceived people before. You have to admit that he's good."

"You mean Lisa Hallet the Cyberwoman in the basement? Yes, I know all about that," Jason snapped. "Don't tell me that none of you would have gone to such lengths to save the one you love. That's all he's guilty of; loving too much."

This was what he'd been afraid of; the others only accepted Ianto because they had to. Sam especially would not hesitate to pin the blame on the other man. He still resented Ianto being Second in Command over him.

Jenny leaned back and frowned. "But if Harkness is back then why--"

"He and Cooper each paid Ianto a visit after he woke up. They told him that he was basically worthless. His sister did so too." Jason touched his fingers to his lips. "When he told me about it, I could see the pain he felt at being tossed aside. No, if Harkness never left Torchwood then he _deliberately_ pushed Ianto away."

"But why? I mean, weren't they sleeping together?" Miranda asked.

"Ianto believes that because he tricked Harkness before, the Lisa thing, that the entire relationship was a way to keep him where Harkness could control him."

Sam nodded his head. "Sex and intimacy are powerful weapons. I should know. Just ask my girlfriend. She uses both to wrap me around her finger. And that's for little stuff, like getting me to put gas in the car or something."

"Exactly. If Harkness saw Ianto as either a threat or a weapon he would want him close. But after the events of five years ago, he must have decided that Ianto outlived his usefulness. Harkness had no more use for him therefore he got rid of him."

"But then why would they contact us now? Do they want him back?" Susan said as she adjusted the images, for lack of something better to do.

"I don't think so. Cooper's message only talked about the Rift. There was no mention of Ianto at all." Jason picked up his coffee and glanced at the clock. The others would be coming in soon; they needed to wrap this up.

"Okay," he said. "Susan, you and Bobby record all of the Rift activity. See if Cooper's story adds up. If the Rift is expanding, we need to be prepared. Jenny, try to talk to your contacts in UNIT to see if you can find out more about Ianto's hospital stay. Sam, Miranda, I want security beefed up. Check every inch of the base and our properties for any bugs or devices that we haven't installed. I'll contact the other North American bases and see if they have any ideas."

"You're not going to tell them about this, are you?"

"If the Rifts _are_ converging then the entire continent could be in danger. All the Torchwoods will need to work together. I want all the info on the Rift expansion on my desk by tomorrow." He looked around at his senior officers. "Something is going on and I think we can all agree that Ianto's posting here is a pretty big coincidence. Someone, Harkness perhaps, wanted him as far away from Cardiff as possible but still surrounded by Torchwood. We need to find out why and what it means for us. I'm not going to lie to you; I'm scared shitless."

They all shifted in their seats, uncomfortable with that revelation. Jason Monroe was the kind of man who was scared of only three things -- his mother, his ex-wife and personal failure. For him to admit to fear over this conspiracy had all of them praying that he was wrong.

If he wasn't, then Heaven help them all.

~_~_~

_October 21, 2014. Tuesday afternoon. Cardiff. Torchwood Three's basement, storage room._

Jack sat on a chair with an old book in his hands. The book had belonged to his dead lover and had been read so many times that some of the pages were coming out but he couldn't bear to take it to be repaired.

He knew it wasn't healthy that he came down here so often but there were days when he needed a brief respite into the past. There was so much unfinished business in this room. So many memories contained in plastic boxes that he couldn't get rid of. Logically he knew that he should just lock everything up or burn it and never think of it again. But he couldn't because that would mean letting go of the one person who had made him feel safe. The one person whose name he had not spoken since he'd fled Earth that cold night over five years ago.

"Ianto."

_JonesIantoJones. Coffeesir? Chocolatepreferablydark. Evenshe'scallingusacouplenow. I''tI?_

With just one little word so many memories ran together that hot tears coursed down his cheeks. God, how he missed that man! If he could go back in time to the day that he had last held Ianto he would make sure to respond so differently when Ianto said that he loved him.

_Don't_.

He had never expected Ianto to actually feel that way. When he had been in his own personal Hell he had gotten a taste of what life would be like without his lover. He knew that the 'angel' he'd seen had actually been Ianto but he still preferred to think the younger man had saved him from eternal damnation.

_Don't._

He wished he had spoken his true feelings out loud. He had known since coming back from The Year That Never Was that he was in love with Ianto. Gwen's engagement had been the push he needed to stop analyzing his feelings and act on them. He had tried so hard to show Ianto how much he loved him but when it came down to it, the last chance he had to _say it_, he had frozen and choked on his own words.

_Don't._

Instead of responding truthfully, he had let grief override his brain. The fact that he was losing the one person on Earth who he would have given up everything for had caused him to panic and not say what he needed, _wanted_ to say.

"Oh, Ianto. If you could see me now you'd be laughing at me. Or scowling. Don't know which I'd prefer, to be honest. As long as it was you." He sighed and closed the book. "All I know is that I miss you. I want you back. Even just for a day. That would be long enough to tell you how I felt." A small smile graced his sullen face. "But then again, if I could find a way to bring you back for a day I'd find a way to keep you forever. I wanted to watch you grow old."

He remembered when he had been infected by a deadline and fell into a coma. Ianto had refused to leave his bedside. Even though he had been locked in a trance he had been able to hear the soulful voice of his lover. When he and Gwen had been poisoned and paralyzed a few weeks later with little hope of recovery because of a vengeful alien father, Ianto had refused to give up until he cured them.

"I love you…" Ianto had whispered in his ear when none of the other things he'd said had snapped Jack out of the paralysis. It was the first of two times that Ianto had said those three words. It had been the one thing that could break through and save Jack from a life as an Immortal statue.

The second time Ianto had said those words was less than two weeks later.

Jack still couldn't drive past the Thames House without feeling sick.

"Ianto Jones," he murmured as he ran a trembling finger along the book's spine. "You will never be a blip in time for me. Not ever."

And one day he would find his way back to the young man with the beautiful Welsh vowels. One day he would be able to say those three words to the most amazing man he had ever met.

One day.

"Jack?"

He lifted his head, heedless of the tears that were sticky on his face.

"Yes Gwen?"

His friend, his only link to the ones he had loved and lost, was knelt before him with a look of concern on her pretty face.

"What's wrong?"

She was the only one who could access this room. Owen and Tosh's possessions had been placed here as well. But she rarely came down into the room. Her memories were enough to keep her going.

"Just remembering. Something you wanted?"

"Yes. I need to talk to you about something."

"Go ahead then."

Gwen stood and looked down at her friend.

"Jack, I think it's time we talk to the others."

"Others?"

"The other Torchwoods."

"There are us and Torchwood Two. There are no others."

"There are the internationals."

"How do you know about that?" Jack asked as he rose to his feet. He stepped past her and placed the book back in its place on the dusty bookshelf. "Those files were sealed. Only I had access."

"No, only the _leader_ of Torchwood Three had access. I was leader for a while, remember? When you were off chasing your Doctor?"

Gwen could not keep the smug smile off her face as she said this. It wasn't often that she got one over Jack Harkness.

"Okay, fine. You know about the international Torchwoods. So what?" Jack picked up a small trinket from the shelf and pretended to study it carefully.

"Well, I thought since all of the tests and observations conclude that the Rift is moving to join the Rift in the U.S. that it would be a good idea to contact the bases there."

Jack turned and looked at her. His mouth was set in a thin line and his eyes were dark with annoyance.

"That would be good except that the International Torchwood Program was scrapped a few years after its conception. There are no other branches."

"Then why is it that I found information on the North American bases in the Torchwood database? Honestly, Jack, do you ever bother to look through the reports and files at all? There's a whole wealth of information if you'd just look at it." She turned to look at the bookshelves. Even though a few years had passed, there was no dust. _Jack must come down here a lot_, she mused.

"So you're saying that the Rift in the U.S. is being monitored right now?"

The tone that accompanied the questioned made her look him in the eye.

"You really believed that the program had ended?"

"Yvonne Hartman felt it was too much to handle. Four bases were more than enough."

Jack stepped away from the memories and picked up his coat. As he pulled it on he thought about their current dilemma.

"Okay, show me what you got on the other Torchwoods and we'll see if we can work out a solution to the Rift problems."

"Thanks Jack!"

"Anytime Gwen."

~_~_~

_October 24, 2014. Friday evening. Bluemont. Grocery store in town._

It was official; Ianto Jones had tamed Jason Monroe. They were in a grocery store shopping for their food items together. They picked out soup and sandwich fixings and sifted through piles of produce to find the least bruised apples. Jason willingly surrendered to Ianto's love of skim milk over whole and Ianto in turn walked past the prepackaged snack cakes in favor of ingredients.

Jason had indeed been tamed by his young lover. Their relationship was still very new but they had already been through a lot together.

And now they were walking down the cereal aisle of the local grocer debating which whole grain goodness would best serve their nutritional needs.

It was perfect.

Beep. Beep beep.

Until Jason's cell phone rang.

Jason pulled his phone from his front pocket and answered without even a glance at the caller ID.

"Monroe."

"Jason, it's me. The kids and I are coming to town for a few days. We'll be in by Wednesday."

"Kate?" _Oh no. No nonono. Of all the times for this to happen, why now? Just when everything was going so well._

"Unless you have another ex-wife with four kids."

He rubbed at his temple and let out a soft groan.

"What is it?" Ianto asked as he slipped a box of instant oatmeal into the cart.

"Who's _that_? One of your floozies?" Kate demanded, her voice loud and shrill.

Loud enough that Ianto heard it perfectly. His head shot up and he stared at his lover. He'd had enough to handle whenever he'd met Jack's exes. He would not go through that again. He glared at Jason…

…who swallowed around the lump in his throat and met the angry gaze. He opened his mouth to respond to the woman on the phone.

"Kate, there's something I should tell you…."

"Oh, what?"

"Yes, Jason," Ianto muttered just a bit too loud. "_What_ do you have to say to your _ex_-wife?"

Not taking his eyes off his angry lover Jason said, "I've met someone."

Two minutes later he had to snap the phone shut as Kate's voice had become far too high-pitched to be comfortable.

Jason put his phone away and frowned at Ianto.

"You haven't told her about me, _about us_ yet?"

"Sorry if I've been too busy with work and spending time with you to think about it. It's not as if I enjoy talking to her about the weather, so tell me, how was I suppose to tell her about us?"

His tone struck Ianto. Ianto rubbed at his neck and looked away.

"I'm sorry. It's… just that I still don't quite know where I stand. With you, that is." He turned away to look at the cereal display. "I suppose I can't say much. Jack actually asked me several times to meet my family but I kept refusing. You and I have only been together for a short while and your family is a bit farther away than mine was. So, raisin bran or the fruity kind?"

Jason moved a little closer, just close enough to feel the other's body heat. He placed a hand on the small of the man's back and ran the fingers up the length of his spine.

"Once we get home I'll call her back and tell her about us."

Bright blue eyes met his and a smile curved onto the pale face.

"Thank you."

"Raisin bran."

"Oy!"

"And put that instant crap back. You want oatmeal I'll make it for you."

"Picky."

~_~_~

_October 25, 2014. Torchwood Cardiff. Archives._

"I've never heard of Mr. Franklin," Gwen said as she thumbed absently through the binders on the floor.

The two of them had spent several hours searching through the paper files that had survived the bomb as well as the files on the server for everything there was on the international Torchwoods in general and Bluemont in particular. The floor of the archive room they were in was littered with paper and binders.

"He preferred to stay on the sidelines and boss everyone around. He's cutthroat and dangerous. I never met him and there are no pictures in the database of him either. All I know is that he and Hartman worked together for years. We all assumed he had died at Canary Wharf." Jack leaned back in his chair and looked at Gwen with a curious expression on his face. "He secluded himself only days before the battle. It's almost as if he knew the battle was coming. The bastard hid himself and re-emerged a few months later. He still runs Torchwood to this day."

Gwen chewed her lip and picked up the binder with the picture of the Bluemont leader in it.

"So, you thought that this Monroe guy might actually help us?" Jack shook his head. "He's probably one of the most arrogant men ever in the 21st century. Worse than me, even."

"You've met him?"

"No, just read his file. Personally chosen by Hartman to run a base. The Board of Directors arranged for Monroe and the other international base leaders to train in London. There are several bases all over the world, but they rarely communicate outside of their own continent. Bluemont, Monroe's base, is possibly the dullest Torchwood base in existence. Sure, they have a Rift in Time and Space but they don't get the action that we do. Mostly they get alien tech that they get to study a bit before sending it on to the other bases. They rarely get alien visitors and most of the ones that they do get are simply lost and grateful for assistance. The only thing that Monroe has done that I like is set up a rehabilitation program for Rift victims. But other than that, I don't see much potential."

"But then again, the file hasn't been updated in a few years, Jack. Who knows what all he's done since then?"

"If the file is out of date that usually means that that's all there is."

"Meaning what? That Monroe's dead?"

"Probably. Or Retconned. Point is, Gwen, he's no longer someone who can help."

"But you don't know that for sure."

"You contacted him and he has yet to reply…."

"Give it a few more days then. If I haven't heard from him by Monday, I'll drop it."

"Deal."

~_~_~

_35 days ago. A space station somewhere._

She had made her choice on a rainy Tuesday several years ago. She couldn't turn back now, not if she wanted to stay out of the darkness.

_Ianto, Jack, I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry._

Suzie Costello, former second in command at Torchwood Three, sat across from Mr. Franklin. She tried to ignore the haunting figure of Yvonne Hartman, who stood beside the desk and stared straight ahead. The woman was creepy; all she did was stand like a statue and await orders. It wasn't entirely her fault but at the same time, it was. Suzie suppressed a shiver and looked away. Instead she looked out the window into the vastness of space to see Earth slowly spin on its axis below the station.

It was a Time/Dimension station that existed one second out of sync with the rest of the universe. It had been built with technology from the 51st century. Here was where Mr. Franklin called home. He monitored Earth and more importantly, Jack Harkness from this very room. Monitors set up along an entire wall showed Cardiff and Bluemont from various angles. Along another wall computers downloaded files continuously.

The equipment in the room was so advanced that Suzie knew she would never be able to figure it out. There were many days where she wished she had never met the man across from her. She had signed away her life to Mr. Franklin. She had been too stupid to realize that the man before her had his own agenda and that Torchwood merely provided him with the opportunities needed to achieve it.

She turned her eyes towards the various items scattered on top of the desk. She looked past the books, folders, box and the coffee mug to the pictures. The pictures were of a mother and her two young children. They were curious pictures, as the people in it seemed to be moving… almost as if they were alive. The mother smiled as she watched her children. Two boys, one with sandy blond hair and the other with curly brown hair played happily in the sand. Suzie shivered as she looked at the picture.

"My wife and children."

She raised her eyes to look across at Mr. Franklin.

"What?"

He peered at her through the glasses that he had donned. He claimed that he needed them only for reading but she felt that he wore them just for show. He liked to show off. It reminded her of someone. If only she knew who.

"Your family… Where are they?"

As she had been here for a while now she would have noticed two young children running around. The station had less than one hundred people on it and they were all handpicked UNIT and Time Agents. This was a military station; it was not designed for families. She had never seen any children on board.

"They're dead." His voice was flat and his blue eyes were filled with anger.

"How did they die?" she asked softly.

She hoped she was able to keep her fear hidden. He was so much like… _someone_. Like someone she had know before. Someone who commanded respect from nearly everyone. But that person had also had compassion.

"My home world was invaded by terrible creatures. My family was ripped apart when my youngest son was taken. My older son left home as soon as he was old enough to join the Agency. An explosion several years later destroyed the planet. My wife was unable to get escape. No one survived."

There was more. Suzie chewed on her lip.

"Your older son? He survived?" She really didn't want to know any more but she felt she needed to know.

"He was here," he said as he pointed out the window to the blue planet below. "He traveled _back_ in time to your backwards little planet of mud. You knew him, you worked for him for years." He looked at her and smiled.

"Jack."

That was why Mr. Franklin seemed so familiar. Jack had been quick to anger as well. The biggest difference was that his anger had been out of devotion to his duty and the people he had sworn to protect.

"Yes, _Jack_. Although that's not his real name, he has chosen to go by it and so I will call him as such." Mr. Franklin stood and went to stand before the glass. "You know about his… _condition_, don't you?"

"His inability to die?" It was still difficult to wrap her mind around that concept. For her it had only been a few months since her multiple 'deaths'. She had learned only recently that her former friend had been keeping a great secret from her.

"He can't stay dead. He has to watch, has had to watch, so many people that he has cared about, people he has loved die. Imagine what something like that would do to a person?" Mr. Franklin breathed onto the cool glass and drew patterns in the condensation with his finger. Rather like a child.

"What about Ianto? How does he fit into all of this?"

The quiet Archivist had meant nothing to her when she had been at Cardiff but he had also stayed well out of her way. She had learned about his own secret hidden in the basement when Mr. Franklin had led her to it. She had pleaded with him to save the young girl or at least end her suffering but he had refused. Ianto had suffered through so much in his short life that all Suzie wanted now was for him to be safe.

Mr. Franklin continued to draw on the window. "Jack is immortal. Why he would love someone so _fragile_, so _mortal_ is beyond my comprehension. But he did and does. As his father it is my duty to help him get through this."

"But Ianto died…"

"A mistake on my part." He turned from the window and moved to stand before the silent slave. He ran his fingers through the blond tresses and caressed her expressionless face. "Time is a fragile thing, Ms. Costello. Every single thing in the entire universe has a timeline of its very own. Each timeline is connected and affected by the rest. I studied Jack's timeline since he's arrival in the past. I also studied Ianto Jones's timeline so that I could determine what killed him and how to prevent it."

"But he still died."

"Yes. I miscalculated. I thought that the aliens known as the 456 saved the Earth but instead they killed Jones and tried to take over the planet."

"That's a pretty big miscalculation, sir." Suzie could have kicked herself for that. People had been killed for far less than insulting the boss.

Mr. Franklin laughed. "Indeed it was! You see," he said as he returned to his chair, Hartman forgotten. "The programs I use are not truly compatible with 21st century technology. There is also the fact that the records of this century are incomplete. What I thought was the end of Ianto Jones's timeline was actually the middle. His original timeline has his meeting and falling for Monroe. They spent many years together before dying of old age. The girl, Lisa Hallet, never even met Jones."

"That means that she died at Canary Wharf, since he wasn't there to save her."

"No. In the original timeline that battle never occurred."

"What?"

"I needed the energy gathered from the Ghost Shifts to run my station. The void ship that contained the Daleks also provided me with energy. The battle was a small price to pay in the end."

"But if Ianto wasn't supposed to even be there, then how did he know to save Lisa?"

"I erased his and Monroe's memories of each other and changed their personal timelines. The boy was oblivious to his destiny and so he fell in love with the girl. She was rather harmless and certainly no competition for Jack. I allowed the romance as I was already planning the battle. I did not count on him being so resourceful and determined but used that to my advantage."

"Meaning what? That you led him to Jack and to Torchwood Three?"

"Precisely. I made certain that he would be well provided for as he sought to save his girlfriend. I left him clues as to the things that would attract Jack's attention. I made certain that he knew how to find Jack and get the job at Cardiff. And as for little Lisa, that was me too. It was I who activated the Cyberman programming, not Tanazaki. Lisa Hallet had served her purpose and it was time to move things forward."

"How?"

"I reviewed more of Jack's time line. Jack is from the 51st century. Ianto Jones died centuries before Jack was even born. They were never supposed to meet. When Jack became immortal and traveled back in time, he changed the time lines. When that happened Jack met Jones and eventually fell in love. The pain of losing Jones destroyed his soul."

Suzie ran a hand over her mouth. She felt sick to her stomach at the thought that by her being so gullible and stupid so many lives had been changed.

"Then why have you kept him hidden from Jack? If your goal to for them to be together--"

"Jack will be told that Jones is alive soon."

"But why take so long?"

"Because the process of saving him, using the very device that saved me years ago from the invasion coupled with the life-saving energy of Jack's kiss, caused serious brain damage. I also had to erase Monroe from his memories again."

"Why? I mean," she said as he turned to look at her. "Why can't he keep those memories too? People fall in and out of love all the time. If he loves Jack then his past relationships wouldn't matter."

"Ah, but you don't understand, Miss Costello. Ianto Jones did and does truly love Jason Monroe. Even though the memories were erased from his mind his heart still remembers. Monroe is a threat to my son's happiness. This cannot be allowed. I do not wish to harm the man but if this continues then I may have to look for a more… _permanent_ solution."

He was crazy. He was absolutely _insane_. She knew it now; had known it for a while, if she were honest with herself.

Mr. Franklin turned back to the framed pictures and ran his fingers over one lovingly.

Oh God, what had she gotten herself into?

And could she get herself out of it before it was too late?

~_~_~

_October 28, 2014. Tuesday evening. Bluemont base, Jason's office._

Kate would be in town tomorrow. Jason wanted to throw up.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see his kids, he did. It was just that things had finally started to go well with Ianto and he didn't want to ruin it by bringing his family into the mix. Or more precisely, he didn't want to bring _Kate_ into it.

For the last couple of years she had been dropping a lot of not so subtle hints that they should get back together. She had relied too long on her looks to get her ahead that now that she was older, her prospects were rapidly going down. She was as beautiful at 45 as she had been at 18 but most of the men she involved herself with wanted younger wives and children of their own. There was also the money factor. Her job as a sales associate at an upscale clothing store provided food, shelter and clothes for them all but she made very little for the life style she lived. Once Katelyn was eighteen there would be no more child support and his alimony payments would also soon come to an end. The money she had inherited from her parents a few years ago had been blown on a fancy car, six-bedroom house and designer clothes. Instead of investing, or at least stashing some of it, Kate had acted as if the funds were unlimited. At least the children all had better financial sense. Kate on the other hand had never had to watch her nickels and dimes. Her parents had always taken care of her needs, even when she had married Jason. But they had died a few years back and the money they'd left her was long gone. Now she relied on Jason's checks to keep her in her large house, fancy car and nice clothes. She also knew that he would not keep her in the luxurious lifestyle she was accustomed to and so she had become desperate.

He looked up from his computer as his cell phone rang. He groaned; it was the ring tone that signaled impending doom.

"Yes, Kate?" he said as he continued to type.

"We'll be there by lunchtime tomorrow." They had never been good at the small talk.

"Great. Can't wait."

"Is _he_ going to be there?"

"Ianto? Yes. I want him to meet everyone."

"I don't see why. It's just a fling, like usual."

"This is different, Kate."

"How so?"

Was she really going to ask him that?

"With him I feel things I never felt before. I can't help but want to be with him. He's infuriating, arrogant, gorgeous, intelligent, demanding…"

"So he's you, then?"

He grit his teeth and forced himself to calm down. She always loved to wind him up.

"It's different with him. He's more… real. He's _classy_. Even when he's being a dick he does it in a way that makes me stop thinking."

"You never had a problem there," she said in an icy tone.

"You just can't stand to see me happy, can you?"

"Jason, you couldn't be happy with _me_. What makes you think you can with him?"

"For starters, he's never cheated on me."

"Are you going to hold that over my head forever? I made a mistake."

"You had a long-term affair with my best friend. Did you really think that I would be able to forget that so easily?"

"Your job was your life," Kate snapped. "You cared more about your career than your family!"

"I turned down lots of offers and promotions in order to go to soccer games and take the kids to the movies and so you could go on weekend getaways with your friends. And I never once said anything about your parenting or housekeeping skills, even though I was always the one lecturing, punishing and cleaning while working fulltime. What did you do besides complain that you never had any time for yourself?"

"But it was a dangerous job! What if you'd been killed? I'd have been widowed with four children!"

"You knew that there was a chance I would get killed on the job. I didn't even consider going to the Academy without your support, let alone switch careers. And if I had left you a widow you would have had one hell of a support system. My family wouldn't have let you raise the kids alone. _My_ parents are the ones paying for Richard and Christine's college education."

"You weren't there enough. I was alone so many nights. That's why I turned to Tyler. He understood how lonely I was. He loved me enough to be there when you weren't."

"Which is why he left you for someone younger after I found out about your little affair. He married that girl too, didn't he? Have a couple of kids now, too."

He couldn't resist rubbing it in her face. It was cold and cruel, but he refused to let her play the martyr. He had not been a perfect husband or father, but he'd be damned if she tried to make out like the collapse of their marriage was entirely his fault.

Especially now as he was involved with Ianto. This relationship he was determined to make work. He shifted in his chair and felt the slight weight in his pants pocket. It comforted him to know it was there. Now all he needed was the courage to take that step.

"That's was mean, Jason."

"Kate…" he sighed deeply. "Look, I really don't want to fight with you about this. I'm still at work. I need to finish my reports so I can get back home."

"To Ianto?" The bitterness was practically palatable.

"Yes, to Ianto. Get used to the idea of me and him, Kate. I'm not going to end things with him because of some half-cocked idea that you have of us getting back together."

"We were good together."

He could easily picture the pout on her face. It had once been something he had loved to see. But that was a lifetime ago. The past was something that couldn't be changed.

"Once upon a time, yes we were. But that was a long time ago. We weren't ready for reality. We were still kids. It's time that you realize that and move on." He looked at the clock. It was after eight p.m. "I gotta go. I'll see you all tomorrow."

He ended the call before she could say anything and placed the cell phone on his desk. They had married too young. If they had been a little older and wiser maybe they could have made it work. But it was too late for that now. He was with Ianto. There was nothing in the world that could make him give that up.

The landline on his desk rang. He put Kate out of his mind and reached for the receiver.

"Monroe."

"Jason Monroe?"

It was a man with a cultured American accent. Probably a politician.

"Yes, this is he."

"Is this the same Jason Monroe who used to work for Interpol before being recruited by Yvonne Hartman of the Torchwood Institute?"

"Yes… Who is this?"

The line went dead.

Slowly he put the receiver back in the cradle and frowned. He started to reach for the intercom to contact Susan when the door to his office opened.

Ianto stood in the doorway in a gray suit minus the jacket and holding two cups of coffee.

The strange phone call was forgotten as his lover joined him at the desk.

~_~_~

_That same day, Cardiff. Torchwood base, Gwen Cooper's office._

_TO: "G. Cooper-Williams, Cardiff"_

_FROM: "J. Monroe, Bluemont"_

_SUBJECT: RE: Expansion_

_I'm sorry that it took me so long to get back to you. It's been rather busy here in the States. I'm sure you understand as you also have a Rift that enjoys wreaking havoc on your carefully made plans._

_I informed my staff of your findings. We performed our own tests but as of this time we have not found any evidence that our Rift is expanding. However, we have been hit by a steady increase of Rift activity for the last few months. Perhaps it is related to your expansion theory. Whatever the case I am eager to solve this dilemma before it becomes a full-blown crisis. The last thing any of us want is a repeat of the events of five years ago._

_If you have any more information on the Rift expansion, forward it to me directly._

_Jason Monroe_

_P.S.-- How is it that Torchwood Cardiff is still running with only two staff members? You have lost your doctor, your technician and your archivist. I must assume that you have since recruited more staff. I am also curious as to who is in charge of your base. Last anyone heard Harkness had fled the country and hasn't been heard from since._

~_~_~

Gwen frowned as she read the email a third time. She had promised Jack that she would drop the whole 'communicating with the internationals' thing if she did not hear from Monroe as of Monday. It was now Tuesday and suddenly she received a response to her query? Hell of a coincidence.

Coincidences were not something that set well with her, not with this job. Far too many times she had believed that something was 'just a coincidence' and it was actually not.

"Okay, let's try to figure this out…"

"Talking to yourself? Even in Torchwood that's kinda weird. Not to mention creepy."

"Jack! You idiot."

"That's a bit harsh." The Immortal made himself comfortable on the loveseat in the office and regarded her openly. "Something on your mind?"

"Bluemont."

"I thought we agreed that as of Monday we'd forget about that."

"Yes, we did. But I just received an email from Monroe. Here, read it." She motioned him over to her side and turned the monitor towards him. She watched as he read the message and frown.

"Okay, so what?"

"Don't you find it strange that NOW Monroe wants to talk? I emailed him about two weeks ago. They couldn't have been that busy that he couldn't reply sooner."

"So you think that there's something going on?"

"Jack, think about it. Torchwood. There's always something going on. And what's that bit about the staff size? I went on record that I started the rebuild and salvage of the Hub a month after… after everything happened. By the time Edward was born I had the basic headquarters ready for business. All I had to do was pick my team and get to work."

Jack shrugged, unconcerned.

"Maybe they don't get updates there. Who knows…"

"And that bit about you? You've had us running around and working with UNIT for the last few years. Yes you left. But you came back a few months after."

"Again, maybe their database isn't up to date or they don't have access to the complete Institute database like we do. It's nothing."

"Something tells me it is something, Jack. Call it instinct or woman's intuition… Something is going on and we need to find out what."

Jack folded his arms and studied her face. She wasn't always right; she was only human. But she, like he, relied so much on her gut that it was impossible to not take her seriously. He sighed and shook his head.

"Email him back. Try to set up a web conference. At the very least use your police instincts to get more out of him."

"Thank you, Jack."

"Don't thank me, Gwen. If you're right and there is something going on, the Rift expansion might be the least of our worries."

~_~_~

_October 29, 2014. Wednesday mid-morning. Jason's house._

Wednesday came too soon, as far as Ianto was concerned. He felt quite sick to his stomach and his hands shook as he poured the coffee into two mugs.

He wasn't ready for this. This was a big step in a relationship and he had never even considered taking it with Jack.

_"I promise to be fluent by the time you introduce me to your family."_

Jack had wanted to meet his family but Ianto had constantly told him no. He had been too ashamed of his humble upbringing that he had told lots of little lies about his childhood and youth to the others. He had lived in a low-income neighborhood where children grew up to raise their own underprivileged children. To go to university was something that was desired but almost impossible. His own sister had married right out of school, gotten pregnant and had lived on the wages that Johnny managed to earn going from job to job.

_"As you know, my father was a master tailor."_

He had been embarrassed that his father was just an ordinary man with an ordinary job at a department store. The fact that his mother had worked at the local coffee shop for tips had also embarrassed him.

Ianto could look back now and see how stupid he had been. Maybe his family had lacked in some material things but there had always been food on the table and clean clothes on their backs. Yes, some memories were less favorable than others (like an ill-fated birthday party) but overall he'd had a decent childhood. He'd had no reason to be ashamed.

When he and Lisa had gotten serious he had made every excuse possible to not meet her parents just so he could avoid taking her to meet his family.

But now he was going to meet the children and ex-wife of the man he was in love with.

Strange how much a person's views can change after a few years.

He picked up his cup and drained it in a single gulp.

Jason had insisted that Ianto stay at the townhouse last night so that there would be no rush in the morning. It was a mutual decision that the two of them would stay at Ianto's place while Kate and the kids slept at the house. This would ensure more privacy.

It didn't help calm his nerves.

Jason's arms wound about him. "You all right?"

"Mm." He leaned his head against a broad shoulder. "Jason, do you think we're moving too fast? It's only been a couple of months."

"Yes, we moved fast but I have no regrets. Unless you count me hurting you before." He kissed Ianto's neck.

"It's just… I was with Jack for over a year and never took him to meet my family."

"Ahh! But I'm not Jack Harkness." He turned Ianto in his arms and lifted up a hand to his lips. "I'm Jason Monroe." He peppered kisses all over the back of Ianto's hand.

Ianto smiled at him. "Want to know something?"

"Sure."

"I love you."

"Same here."

Ianto opened his mouth to continue when he heard a car door slam followed by voices.

"Oh _God_…."

"Steady, Ianto. Don't let her get to you; she can smell fear."

"You make her sound like a _dog_."

"You made that far too easy, lover."

The front door opened and in bounced a sixteen-year-old girl.

"Hi Dad!"

Ianto took a deep breath and turned to face the oncoming storm.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Exes and Heartache

_October 29, 2014. Wednesday afternoon. Jason's house._

Kate was breathtaking.

She had long chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back and framed her heart shaped face and beautiful brown eyes. Her shapely legs were so long that supermodels probably envied her. Her hourglass figure looked as if it had been hand crafted just for her. She was without a doubt very beautiful indeed.

God how he _hated_ her.

Jason could barely hide his smile as he felt Ianto press himself tighter against his side. Ianto was jealous. He wondered if jealous sex was like make-up sex; if so then that was great news for him.

The Monroes were all in the living room. Kate sat on the couch with the two oldest, Richard and Christine, next to her. Rob and Katelyn, the younger two, had made themselves at home on the floor where they could play with their ipods and still contribute to the conversation. That left Jason and Ianto on the loveseat together.

"So," Kate said as she crossed her legs for probably the hundredth time in five minutes. "Exactly how long did you say that you two have been together?" She narrowed her eyes at Ianto as she spoke.

"Couple months. But we've known each other longer," Jason replied as he leaned back. He casually draped his arm along the back of the loveseat behind Ianto. "So why the sudden desire to come to Bluemont, West Virginia?"

Kate leaned forward just enough so that her cleavage became noticeable and smiled sweetly at him. "Rob and Katelyn had a few days off from school, teacher meetings or something, so we thought it's be nice to visit. The last time we saw you was last spring."

"It's been crazy at work these last few months," Jason said.

"How did you two meet? Not at work I hope. Office romances never work."

It was the predatory look in her eyes that made Ianto fight back.

"It does so long as you keep the office out of it," he said coolly.

Her brown eyes narrowed at him again and her lips pursed tightly.

"Figures. You're so busy at work that the only people you see are your employees. I often wondered if you were getting _busy_ at work."

"Kate, don't start."

"Only looking out for you, dear."

"I'm sure. I can handle myself, thank you."

She turned her greedy eyes back to the young man across from her. Tyler had left her for a younger woman and her other lovers had followed suit. She had never expected Jason to actually fall in love, especially with a man. The fact that the man was also several years younger than her made her blood boil. He wasn't even that much to look at! The male body couldn't compare to that of the female. Females had curves whereas males were mostly hard angles. Why would Jason, who was extremely handsome, want someone with such a body?

Ianto's cell phone beeped. He excused himself and went upstairs to answer it.

Jason looked at his ex-wife and tried not to let his irritation show. He was not going back down that path again. Even if he had never met Ianto he would never go back to Kate. The feeling of uselessness had gnawed at him during the last years of their marriage. Not knowing at the time if his baby girl was really his had made him feel inadequate as a husband and partner. No, Kate was barking up the wrong tree if she was indeed looking for a husband.

"Sorry to do this, but I'm needed in the office," Ianto said as he came back down the stairs, keys in hand.

"You need me?" Jason asked as he rose to his feet.

"No, you can stay here. I'll walk." Ianto pressed a quick kiss to Jason's mouth and smiled at him before making his way out the door.

"Call when you're ready to go home and I'll come get you."

"I will."

Jason closed the door behind him and turned back to face his family.

~_~_~

_Same day. Cardiff._

Kahl watched as Harkness and his team tackled a large amphibian-like alien. The Time Agent knew that he would get in trouble if he were caught but he wanted to know what the hell was going on. For him it had been only hours since he'd tried to kill Monroe but it had actually been more than a month. Time travel could be a pain even for seasoned Time Agents.

Which Jack Harkness used to be before he'd come to this pathetic planet.

Harkness and his team secured the alien and loaded it up in a van to take to their base. As they drove off none of them even noticed the man in black military clothes standing to the side of the road. Time Lords and alien hunters weren't the only ones with perception filters. Kahl smirked to himself at how easy it would be to follow them to the base and no one even know. Of course they probably had some sort of security systems in place to catch intruders but with his Vortex Manipulator he would be able to override them.

He licked his lips and touched the button that would take him back to the Time/Dimension station.

Had he bothered to look to the left he would have seen a man in a red military jacket and tall boots watching him.

The man leaned back against a tree and watched as a former colleague vanished. He didn't know what was going on but he knew that if it involved Jack Harkness it couldn't be good.

~_~_~

_Back at Bluemont. Torchwood base._

"Any idea?" Jenny asked as she looked at the mother Weevil and her babies.

Ianto frowned as he watched the mother burrow the little ones beneath the pile of straw and then proceed to claw at the wall. The low moaning that came from her mouth made his skin crawl.

"Jack and Owen used to speculate that Weevils were mildly telepathic. When a large number of them had been captured and tortured for sport it seemed to prove that theory. However we never really studied them closely enough to form concrete facts." He rubbed at his neck. "When did this start?"

"About four hours ago."

"Keep monitoring and recording. It's probably nothing but it wouldn't hurt to continue Owen's work."

Jenny looked from the Weevils to him. "Would you be able to call up the files on the studies for me? Maybe having a fresh pair of eyes would help with it. I might see something that he missed."

With a nod Ianto turned towards the stairs. "I'll have the files on your desk this evening."

He opened the door and started up the stairs.

_"So what do you want to do tonight?"_

Ianto tensed.

_"Hmm, I was thinking something along the lines of dinner at yours'."_

He shook himself. The false memories had been nonexistent these last few weeks. It had to be the stress of meeting Kate that he was suddenly hit with them.

_"Please stop! You're killing him!"_

_"That's the point, little boy. He's not worth your tears."_

Ianto closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Since beginning this relationship he had often envisioned Jason being tortured. The reason was always the same. Because they were in love Jason was beaten before his very eyes.

That was one false memory he loathed more than any other.

~_~_~

"He seems nice," Christine said as she helped her father clear the dishes from the dining room table.

"You're not fishing are you? 'Cause I ain't biting."

She giggled and carried a stack of plates into the kitchen. Jason followed with the rest and a shake of his head.

"How old is he?"

"Twenty-nine this past August."

"Oooh, a cradle-robber!"

"Funny. You're a real comedienne, you know that?"

Christine smiled at him and started to load the dishwasher.

"Need any help?" Ianto asked as he came through the door.

"I told you to call." Jason frowned at him.

"I was only there for a little while. It's still light outside so I walked." Ianto smiled at the concern on his lover's face. "Don't worry, I got my 'big boy briefs' on; I can handle myself."

"You're so damned stubborn sometimes." There was no heat to the words, just a tenderness that couldn't really be described with words.

"You love it."

"Sometimes."

"Nag."

"Git."

"Been learning proper English have we?"

"You two sound like a married couple!"

Ianto blushed while Jason's hand drifted towards his pants pocket before he realized it and he pulled it back.

"So," Jason hastened to change the subject. "How's school?"

"Great. Now, back to you."

"Rather blunt, aren't you?" Ianto asked mildly.

"I try. And before you ask, I know about Dad's job, so don't hold back with me. I'm going to join when I'm done with college."

"That's still up for debate," Jason said firmly.

"Anyway! How serious are you two?"

Ianto looked at Jason. Jason looked from his daughter to his lover.

Christine looked at them both.

"Uh-huh. I get it. Don't worry, Dad," she kissed his cheek. "I'm on your side." She turned, winked at Ianto, and walked back to the living room.

Jason couldn't help but grin.

"So… she knows about Torchwood?"

~_~_~

_October 30, 2014. Thursday morning. Bluemont Torchwood base._

_TO: "J. Monroe, Bluemont"_

_FROM: "G. Cooper-Williams, Cardiff"_

_SUBJECT: Re: RE: Expansion_

_Hello! I understand completely about the Rift eating up all of your time. I have attached all of the files on the expansion for you to analyze. I would like to talk to you face-to-face. Would a videoconference be possible?_

_Please read the files and contact me as soon as you can._

_Sincerely,_

_Gwen Cooper_

~_~_~

"Miranda, Susan, Bobby, make sure the place is secure." Jason looked at his team gathered in the main room. "There's something important we need to discuss. Team meeting in one hour in the boardroom."

Everyone looked around to gauge each other's reactions and then they returned to their workstations. Ianto watched as they got back to work and then stepped close to his lover.

"What's going on?"

"One hour, Ianto." Jason reached up and touched the fade scar on the other's cheek. "I don't want to go over it twice. Trust me?"

"Yes. I just wish I knew what was wrong."

"You will soon, I promise." Then, completely against the boundaries, Jason pulled Ianto to him and kissed him deeply.

Blue eyes clouded over with anxiety and fear; something was seriously wrong. His heart began to pound.

"Relax," Jason murmured against his lips.

"Not making it easy. Did I do something?"

"No." At least he hoped not. "Wanna go out to dinner tonight? With the kids… and Kate."

"Sure. I'd love to." Ianto bit his lip worriedly. "I'll be downstairs with the Weevils. Call me in forty-five and I'll make some coffee."

"Great. Until then, get your ass back to work."

"You just want to ogle it as I walk."

"It's the most I get while stuck here, so move it."

Jason kept the smile on his face until Ianto had followed Jenny to the door.

He really wasn't looking forward to this.

One hour later Jason sat at the head of the conference table with Ianto at his left. The rest of the team was gathered around the oval table waiting for Jason to start the meeting. "First off, I received an e-mail a few days ago from someone who is no longer an employee of Torchwood yet claims to be."

"Who?" Dan asked.

"That's not important."

"Why not?"

_Oh, because I'm sleeping with her former coworker and I'm absolutely terrified that if he finds out that she's back at Torchwood and that his former lover is too then he'll run back to Britain and I'll lose him forever._

"There is a possible conspiracy in the Institute. We need to find out why there are secrets being kept and who's behind it all."

"Jason," Miranda interrupted. "I don't think we can keep it a secret anymore." She looked at Ianto pointedly.

"I am _not_ conspiring against anyone. I'm not a spy, either," Ianto said, his temper barely reined in.

Jason couldn't tell who did and did not believe him. That was never a good sign.

"No one here is pointing fingers at anyone else," he began.

"No, but that also means that everyone here is under suspicion," Sam stated firmly.

Everyone but Jason, Ianto and Shelly seconded that notion.

Ianto found himself taking Jason's hand and clutching it tightly. He had cried himself crazy when Jason had died. How could they believe that he was their enemy? He had thought they were past all of that nonsense.

Miranda folded her arms and glared at him. She had never really gotten over her friend being demoted to make room for Ianto.

"You stalked Harkness for a job. You hid a partially converted Cyberman in the basement for six months. It got loose and could have destroyed the world. Your punishment was a suspension. Were you fucking Harkness all along or just after that little disaster?"

Ianto raised his voice in anger. "She was called _Lisa_. Leave Lisa and Jack out of this. I made a mistake; I was too blinded by my feelings for Lisa to see that she was killed the day of Canary Wharf. Jack understood that and chose, despite what I'd done, to give me a second chance. My relationship with him has nothing to do with this."

"Only that it set a precedent for the current situation."

"How so," Ianto demanded. His grip on Jason's hand tightened.

"Miranda…"

"Let's see…" Miranda ignored the glare Jason sent her direction. "You convince Harkness to keep you on after the Cyberman. Two members of your team are killed less than two years later. You show up and are made second to Jason who almost dies shortly after becoming involved with you." She narrowed her eyes. "Suspicious, wouldn't you agree?"

"Very suspicious," Sam said. "I almost felt sorry for you when Jason told us that no one, not even your sister, wanted anything to do with you when you woke up. But I'm not buying it anymore. You faked your own death and falsified records so that you could infiltrate us. You, Harkness and Cooper are planning to take over."

"That is ridiculous! Why would I choose to come to this backward place?" he lashed out. "And by the way, Jack is gone and Gwen's living a happy life with her husband and child. So leave them alone."

"Really? So then why has she been emailing Jason? Plus we have photographic proof that both of them are back at Torchwood Cardiff." Miranda smirked at him and waited for him to snap again.

Ianto slowly angled his head towards his lover.

Jason swallowed and said, "We have pictures of both Cooper and -- and Harkness at Cardiff." He tried to ignore the way that his lover was looking at him. Betrayal filled the eyes that had gazed at him in worry and affection earlier.

Ianto stared at Jason, upset by what he had heard. His blue eyes were filled with hurt that the man he'd given his body to so freely hadn't trusted him enough to tell him about this. He knew that Gwen and Jack both hated him but Jason knew that he still cared deeply for his former friends.

Memories of days gone by swarmed inside his head. He tried to not think of the pain of being unwanted and deceived by the ones he had loved the most. But he was soon lost to the memories.

**Just us... in this room... for as long as it takes. Terrifying. Really? Are you asking me out on a date? Interested? Well, as long as it's not in an office. Some fetishes should be kept to yourself... Are you going back to him? Lots of things you can do with a stopwatch. Oh, yeah! I can think of a few. He cheats, he always cheats. I blame it on magic mushrooms. What you do in your own time is none of our business. And for the record: measuring tapes never lie. Being here, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just… stayed where I was. And I wouldn't change that for the world. Bordering on the avant-garde. Do I show off? I came back for you. He's a reminder of my past, I want him gone. **

His stomach was churning and his chest was on fire like it had been the first few months after Lisa. He felt the most horrible, deep-rooted pain. Everything hurt. This was worse than Lisa. Worse than Jack leaving him. Worse than being in the darkness.

"Ianto?" Shelly asked in a small voice. She didn't understand how everyone could be so quick to accuse him of being a traitor when it was so obvious that he was in pain.

"Can't imagine the time when this isn't everything. Pain so constant, like my stomach's full of rats." The blue eyes locked onto Jason's face. "Feels like this is all I am now. There isn't an inch of me that doesn't hurt."

Jason stared at his lover as he spoke in a voice void of all emotion; his once piercing blue eyes empty of life. Those same eyes that had looked at him in gratification last night and worry just over an hour ago had become hollow. Now Ianto stared out into _nothing_ as memories cascaded inside his head, locked in a battle for dominance.

He hurt. Everything hurt. The pain was so great that all he could _think, see, feel_ was the pain. Nothing else mattered, as he couldn't focus on anything but the pain.

"Are… are you okay?" Jenny asked. She stood and started to reach for the young man in concern.

Words that he had used once before, when his life had crumbled around him, came back to him now. He pushed them from his mouth without thinking because they had the exact same meaning now that they'd had almost seven years ago. Only now instead of just saying them, he shouted them out with anger, frustration and betrayal coloring his voice.

"Like you'd care! When's the last time you asked me _anything_ about my life?"

**You're just a tea boy. I'm much more than that.**

But he was wrong; he hadn't been more. He was nothing important. He had been nothing. He was still nothing.

Inside he could feel the rats gnawing away at him with each passing second. He raised his empty eyes again towards Jason. He couldn't pull his hand away. Ianto merely looked at the man who had not only claimed his body but who had also captured his heart. He had made the same mistake twice.

"Ianto…" Jason tried to pull the younger man to him but Ianto resisted. The words coming from his lover's mouth scared the hell out of him.

"I love you." Ianto's voice broke and tears streamed down his face. "I told myself not to but I let myself love you and just like _Jack_, you broke my heart. I was nothing to him and I'm nothing to you. You used me."

He pulled away from Jason now and stood. He turned and walked out the door. Once he had entered the corridor he ran. He ran as fast as his legs would take him. The tears blinded him but he didn't care.

He had a stomach full of rats, after all.

~_~_~

Late that night.

Jason drove around town searching for Ianto. It had been several hours since Ianto had fled the base in the midst of everyone's accusations and he was beginning to panic. The slight weight in his pocket offered him no comfort. It was nearly midnight and Ianto was missing.

Jason slammed a palm down on the steering wheel in frustration. He should have known better than to sit everyone down and explain what was going on with Ianto in the room. Even after all that had happened they still did not accept Ianto as a part of the team.

_**"I don't see why you're taking his side! It's so obvious what's going on here!"**_

**"Oh really? Tell me Miranda," Jason snapped as he yanked his coat on. Keys. Keys, where were his keys? "What possible reason could the Institute have for wanting to overtake us?"**

No one had been able to give him an answer.

Jason forced his mind back to the problem at hand. He would deal with the others later, after he'd found Ianto.

Ianto had run out without his jacket, keys or cell phone. Jason had first gone to the small apartment first in a vain hope that Ianto was sitting against the door waiting for him. Instead he had thumped his head against the door and headed back down to his car.

Now he looked up as the heavens opened. Rain. Just fucking great.

If he didn't find Ianto soon he was going to have to hit something.

~_~_~

Ianto sat on the damp ground beneath a tree. His thoughts were as bleak and gray as the sky. All he wanted to do was forget. He wanted to forget everything. Jack, Jason. Cardiff, Bluemont. But he couldn't; he was a slave to his memories.

_**"So, still sorry you hired me?"**_

_**Jack grinned up at him as he leaned back in his chair, coffee cup in hand. "Not when you make coffee like this. Starbucks doesn't stand a chance, not with you. That, and you look good in that suit."**_

_**"Sir!"**_

Jack had always made some comment about his clothes. That flirty attitude had made the pain of deception easier to bear.

_**"So, how are you, Ianto? And don't lie to me."**_

_**"Well, sir, it's been roughly five days since I killed Lisa. How do you think I am?"**_

_**"You didn't kill her. Torchwood did. And the Cybermen. Not you."**_

_**"If I had come to you sooner then it wouldn't have ended like that. I should have asked you to help me end her misery instead of stalking you for a job."**_

_**"Hey, I don't regret hiring you. Seriously, so don't give me that 'Don't be an idiot' look. Wanna know what I do regret?"**_

_**"What, sir?"**_

_**"That we weren't there for you like we should have been. That Torchwood One destroyed itself. That you had to suffer."**_

_**"Thank you, sir."**_

A part of him still believed that Jack had cared. It couldn't have all been a lie.

_**"I just want to know where we stand, Jack."**_

_**"So you're asking me to define our relationship?"**_

_**"No, just… I just have to know if Owen is right. That I'm a part-time shag."**_

_**"You're not," Jack assured him. "But, Ianto, that's the most I can give you." He frowned. "You know what's weird?"**_

_**"What?"**_

_**"Earlier, when Michael was here, you said that you didn't own me. You told me to go be with him. It was like you understood."**_

_**Ianto looked away. "I thought I did, but I don't. Guess it's a part of being a 21st century human." He turned back to his Jamesbondathon. "Forget about it, Jack. I don't own you. I have no claim on you whatsoever. Don't even know why I brought it up."**_

_**Jack moved behind him, placing his hands on Ianto's shoulders. He pressed a kiss just below the left ear.**_

_**"Even if Michael had been able to stay, I wouldn't have gone back to him. I wouldn't do that. Not to you."**_

Oh but now he knew the truth. Ianto knew that he was not special or exciting enough to make Jack Harkness monogamous. No, he was faithful to Ianto only so long as it suited his purpose.

Old memories brought with them a bittersweet feeling that made him feel ill. He raised his face to the falling rain. If only the rain could wash away the pain. He was forever to be plagued by what he once had. All that was left were his memories.

Ianto shook his head to clear it. He should have never gotten involved with Jason. It had been a mistake. But then again, his nightmares had lessened since the first time they had slept together. Now when Ianto dreamed he did not awaken in fear of what was to come.

He pulled his knees to his chest and sighed.

_**"Do I look like I give a damn what Harkness would have done?"**_

Jason had not enjoyed being compared to Jack. He could understand that. Every time that Jack had mentioned a former flame it had eaten away at his heart. The only consolation he had was that perhaps it was Jack's way of remembering the people who had been important to him.

He recalled so many times that they had discussed remembering what was important.

_**"Do you remember everyone you've met? Everyone you've loved?" he asked one night just after Jack had returned to them.**_

_**"You will live so long, see so many things. I only hope that something about us here, on Earth will be memorable enough for you to remember us," he said as he watched Jack sleep the day after Owen and Tosh died.**_

_**"I'm just a blip in time for you," he bit out as he watched Jack in the trance.**_

_**"That's why I write in my journal every day. So that when too much time has passed and the memories are faded, I can look back and recall everything that made Ianto Jones tick," he said as he wrote about being a woman for a week.**_

_**"Don't forget me," he pleaded softly as the tears began to fall. He could feel his body dying. Jack's arms were warm.**_

_**"In a thousand years' time, you won't remember me…" he whispered as he felt the numbness set in. Jack looked so sad.**_

He hoped wherever life took him that Jack Harkness would want to remember something about him, be it what he looked like or that he made fantastic coffee. As for himself, he had to let go. He could still remember his past. It was a part of him, but he knew that he had to let it go. Jack didn't need him. Gwen and Rhys were happy without him. His family was fine without him. He only had himself. He had begun to consider Shelly a friend but their friendship was still so new. He couldn't just pick up the phone and call her with his tales of woe.

And Jason…

"I love him," he murmured. Ianto Jones didn't do casual relationships. He gave his entire being to the one he loved. And he loved Jason Monroe. If only Jason still wanted him.

_Don't think like that. Stay positive. Jason no doubt had his reasons for not telling you about the email._ He needed to find Jason and talk to him.

Ianto climbed awkwardly to his feet. He staggered and leaned against the tree trunk for support. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Headlights from a car blinded him. He raised a hand to his eyes and tried to stave off the nausea and so didn't hear the car door slam or the hurried footsteps.

"Ianto."

He opened his eyes.

"Jason," he choked out. He stretched out a hand towards the man he loved.

He felt his lover's strong arms envelope him in their warmth. He rested his head against a broad shoulder and turned his face towards his lover's neck. The man's subtle scent made him feel safe again.

"Are you okay?" Jason's voice was soft and worried.

"Mm hmm." Ianto lifted his head and looked him straight in the eyes. "I love you."

He threw up all over Jason.

Jason just sighed and held him tight.

"I love you too."

~_~_~

12:47 a.m. October 31, 2014. Friday, Halloween.

Jenny yawned tiredly as she reached for her cell phone. It was very late and she and her husband had just been heading to bed when her phone rang. The caller id showed Monroe, Jason. She sighed.

It had been a long day. After Ianto had made his dramatic exit Jason had let them all have it. She and Jason the same age yet he always managed to make her feel like a child. They had all yelled and gotten angry until Jason had given them The Look. It was a look that was just the right amount of intimidation and disappointment.

She flipped open her phone and hit the green answer button.

"It's late, Jason."

"Ianto's sick." Jason Monroe never wasted time with pleasantries, not when it was important.

"What's wrong?" Jenny tossed the covers back off her body and stood, already in Doctor Mode. She was a professional, after all.

"He threw up and I brought him back to his place. His temperature's at 101 degrees. He says he's chilled and he's thrown up again."

"I'm on the way." She somehow managed to get her coat on without dropping the phone. "Jason, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Just hurry."

She dressed quickly, kissed her husband, and ran out the door. If Jason was that worried the she knew that something was wrong. Ianto's immune system was shoddy at best when it came to fighting infections and viruses.

Jenny parked her car outside the grocery store and jogged up the stairs to the apartment. Upon opening the door she looked around and say Ianto on the bed beneath a pile of thick blankets. Jason sat on the edge of the bed as he wrung out a towel of cold water.

She removed her coat and opened the snap on her medical bag. The thermometer showed that Ianto's temperature was at 101.2 degrees. She checked him over for injury and asked him some questions. His voice was raspy and weak but he was lucid. He complained of chills, a 'jittery stomach that was busy doing the tango', weakness in his body and a headache.

"The flu," Jenny stated as she finished her examination.

Jason nodded and stroked Ianto's damp hair.

Jenny pulled off her gloves and dropped them into the trashcan near the bed. "His immune system is more vulnerable to illness than ours'." She handed him a bottle of medicine. "Give him plenty of fluids and keep him in bed as much as possible. Keep those blankets on him, even if he claims later to be too hot. He needs to sweat it out."

Jason carefully retucked the blankets around Ianto's still form. At least he was asleep. It was a nice change from the crying and shaking of earlier.

"Got it."

Jason nodded at her and then walked over to the kitchen area. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out several kinds of vegetables.

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked as she joined him.

"Making soup. He'll need to get his strength built up."

"At this hour though?"

Jason shrugged; he needed to stay busy. When Ianto had first gotten sick on him he had worried it was something much worse.

"It'll taste better once it's set for a few hours."

She watched as he rinsed the vegetables in the sink. She knew he was an excellent cook; no doubt Ianto would rave about the soup for days. But that wasn't what caught her attention.

It was the intense look on his face. She had seen it before.

When she and her husband had started dating her parents had been against it. He was not good enough for her; they were from two different social classes. He'd had to scrape by and get loans for college while she had paid for medical school with her trust fund.

The look on Jason's face was the same look she had worn on her own when she told her parents that she was 'going to marry that man and have his children and there's nothing you can do about it!' Even the bad stuff, like his job layoff, made her stronger. She had never regretted falling in love with him.

"It's not just a fling, is it? This isn't casual…"

Jason's hands stilled. He looked down at the tomato in his palm and then shook his head.

"I can't imagine a minute without him. Tonight I was so scared that he was gone. I feel as if I'm half a person when he's not around."

"Well then," she said as she reached for a knife to chop the onion. "Don't mess this up."

~_~_~

November 1, 2014. Early Saturday evening. Apartment above the grocer.

Ianto smiled at Christine as she set down a cup of tea. He couldn't help but like his lover's oldest daughter, as she was just so likable.

"I'm sorry that you have to baby-sit me," he said as he reached for the tea.

"It's no problem. Dad can't help it that he had to go investigate a possible alien sighting."

Jason had been loath to leave him on his own as his temperature was still very high so he had called his daughter and asked her to come over. She had bounded through the door less than twenty minutes later and jumped right into the role of caregiver. She was a natural.

"Still, I feel bad. You came to Bluemont to see your father and you're stuck here."

"Not so bad. At least I don't have to listen to Mom moan and groan that Dad's being mean and all that."

"Daddy's little girl," he teased.

"Yep. That's me!"

Christine reminded him of Tosh and Gwen. She was smart and compassionate. She knew her way around a computer and was very determined. Christine Monroe was also a very resourceful girl who followed her instincts.

As Ianto couldn't sleep they engaged in a conversation about Torchwood. He found the story of how she learned about her father's job very amusing.

"He couldn't talk to us about his job. All we knew was that it was some government thing and he had to move to West Virginia for work."

"So how did you find out?"

"It was the summer before my senior year of high school. We came here for a visit. I was bored and wanted to go outside so I rode my bike around town. I saw Dad with Sam come out of a store and ride off in a van. So I followed the van all the way to the base. They parked in the parking lot but then went down the block to the alley. By the time I caught up to them, they were gone. I picked the lock and snuck inside. I knew Dad would be mad if he found me so I hid in a supply closet for an hour before I got brave enough to look around. I ended up running smack into Dad and nearly gave him a heart attack."

"What did he do?"

"He yelled at me for a while then I got the tour. It was supposed to be a lesson, to make me see that he had his reasons for not talking about work." Christine grinned at Ianto. "They were having problems with this new software so I plunked myself down at a desk and got to work. Dad and the others were speechless."

"I wish I'd been here to see it!" Ianto said with a laugh. He rarely got to see Jason out of his element and would have thoroughly enjoyed the scene.

"It was great! I was allowed to stay the rest of the day so long as I promised to not tell Mom or the others about any of it. I fixed a few more glitches and got to watch an autopsy; that was cool. As we were heading home I told Dad that I wanted to help him. We got into a big fight over that."

"He's your father; he was just looking out for you," Ianto assured her. "Some aliens are nice but there are many that aren't. Remind me to tell you about some of them."

"Only if you leave nothing out. Not a single detail."

"Deal. Now, what's this about you joining Torchwood?"

"If I get good grades, which I am, and can prove myself capable, which I will, Dad says he'll give me a chance. I can't wait until I get to use a gun and hunt aliens."

"I doubt he'll put you out in the field right away or give you a gun. You need to be trained first. Besides, like I said not all aliens need to be hunted. We actually help many of them get back home or integrate into Earth culture. We try to help as much as possible. Killing is a last resort."

"I know. But I also know that if my family or friends are in danger because of an alien then I want to be able to protect them. I just hope that I do a good job. Oh, that's my cell; be right back!"

He watched as she hurried over to the couch and retrieved her phone. It was her mother, he guessed, from the way she rolled her eyes and stepped outside to talk.

Christine was a gem of a find. So much of her personality was like Tosh's.

Tosh had taken so much pride in her work even if no one noticed what she had done. He remembered when an alien device had turned him invisible and he'd been forced to break into an enemy base. Tosh had figure out his personal login number and made him use it to enter the building. Far from being mad, he had found her delight at breaking the code amusing. She had been so proud that she had known him so well.

Christine's delight at breaking into the Torchwood base was just as amusing and made him proud.

He smiled softly at that only to chuckle as the first memory he had of Gwen popped into his head.

_"Hi, sorry I'm late. Somebody order pizza?"_

The look on her face as the office door had closed and locked itself only to be followed by a false wall opening had been priceless! Somehow he had managed to hold in his laughter until the secret passageway was securely sealed again. It had been obvious that she had expected something out of a horror movie in every slow, cautious step.

"You look happy."

Jason's voice startled him out of his recollections. He looked up and smiled at his lover.

"I suppose that I am happy. When did you get in?"

"Just now." Jason sat down on the edge of the bed. "Are you, though? Happy, that is. Harkness is back at Cardiff and you're here."

"With you," Ianto said softly. His smile was genuine; yes, he was happy.

"Yeah, with me." Jason frowned and rubbed at his neck. "You could be with him."

Ianto reached out and touched his face. "I could, but then I wouldn't be with you. I made my choice. Don't ever doubt how I feel about you." He moved so that he could snuggle against the broad chest. "I'm happy here with you."

Jason nodded and wrapped his arms around him. "So, I was thinking… Thanksgiving is coming up. I have to stay in town as I have off the week of Christmas. You're on the roster to work the weekend of Thanksgiving. Want to spend Thanksgiving with me?"

"Sure. Just so long as you don't expect me to cook. You know I'm not very good at it."

"I'm fantastic at it, so all I need you to do is look pretty and watch football."

"American football? Can't I just watch cheesy holiday movies and sneak bits of food while you cook?"

"Only if you're in an apron."

"Done deal. What about you family?"

"Kate will have Rob and Katelyn with her; probably go to her sister's as she can't cook at all. Richard has a big project for school so he'll be at his girlfriend's. Christine has already insisted on coming here and working the kitchen. So it'll be the three of us. That okay with you?"

Ianto finally felt as if he belonged somewhere. He felt as if he were more than a part-time shag and Tea Boy.

He couldn't help but smile. "Careful, one day she may run Torchwood."

"Don't doubt it for a second. She runs circles around _me_ as it is!"

"And you _love_ it."

"I do."

~_~_~

November 5, 2014. Wednesday afternoon. Bluemont Torchwood base.

Ianto was back at work.

Jenny couldn't explain it but the younger man had been seriously ill for only two days before there was no sign of infection in his body. All that she said was that it probably had to do with his immune system. No one knew what all had happened or been done to Ianto's body so they were left with more questions than answers. As head doctor Jenny had insisted, with support from Jason, that Ianto stay home and rest regardless of how much better he felt. There had been an argument but he had agreed, if only so he could spend the time watching television (he had recently become addicted to a show and there had been a marathon of past episodes).

Satisfied that he was not going to relapse anytime soon, Jenny had approved Ianto for duty.

The only bad thing about his sick leave had been Kate. Jason's ex-wife had taken advantage of the fact that Ianto was stuck in bed and had called Jason's phone relentlessly while he was at work and had monopolized his time when he wasn't. At least Christine had been able to play referee and had also visited him each day. She even made certain that Jason didn't overstretch himself at work. Ianto was sad to see her go but looked forward to his first Thanksgiving where he would get to see her again.

The Rift alert sounded shortly after lunch. Ianto set down his coffee and wandered out to the main area. He joined the others gathered around Bobby's computer and looked at the readout.

"That looks familiar," he said with a frown. "I just wish I knew why."

"Okay then," Jason said as he pulled on his jacket. "Ianto, you're with us. Maybe once we get there and see whatever it is, you'll be able to remember."

Ianto nodded and retrieved his coat and gun. He quickly followed Jason, Miranda and Dan to the van.

It took less than ten minutes to get to the site of the Rift energy. They climbed out of the van and looked around at the abandoned warehouse.

Ianto made a face as soon as he saw the warehouse. He didn't have much luck with the damned things. A sedated pterodactyl had nearly crushed him in one. Two greedy brothers had carved up an innocent creature and he'd nearly been shot at in another. The day before he 'died' he'd argued with Jack in the Torchwood One warehouse. The last warehouse he'd been at he'd been impregnated by a Nostrovite. Ianto hated warehouses.

"Okay, Dan with me. Ianto, you and Miranda go left. Comms on at all times."

Ianto glanced at his lover briefly before heading around the left with Miranda. Although they maintained a professional distance while on the clock he still could not help but worry whenever Jason was out of sight. He wondered if Jason felt the same way.

"Ianto, you two see anything yet?"

"No," he said into his headpiece. "There's nothing."

"Maybe whatever it was has gone?"came Dan's hopeful voice.

"Yeah, right," Miranda scoffed as she and Ianto exchanged dubious looks. "We wouldn't get that lucky."

A minute later Ianto perked up, sure he'd heard something. He touched Miranda's arm and gestured towards the door before them. They both watched it and then backed up when they heard a slight scuffling followed by a cough. They looked at each other and raised their guns.

"Jason, we heard something."

"We're on our way."

He knew that they should have waited but Ianto wanted to get this over with. Since he was feeling better Jason had promised to take him out to dinner. There was a movie showing at the cinema that he wanted to see and was certain he could talk his lover into seeing it with him.

He reached a hand to the door's handle and started to pull it open. The handle was broken and so it swung forward violently and almost knocked into Miranda. Ianto pushed her aside and took the brunt of the blow. He ended up flat on his back with someone on top of him. Someone heavy.

"Not that I'm complaining, but I hardly know-- _Eye Candy_?"

_No. Oh no. Nononono. NO._

"No."

It couldn't be… It was impossible… It was cruel and unfair and downright _mean_. This was so much worse than meeting Kate.

"Yes."

Oh, that cheeky, insufferable voice that he despised with every fiber of his being.

"Hart," he choked out. _Oh God…_

"That's me."

Ianto wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. Instead he covered his face with his hands and tried not to scream.

~_~_~

Back at base.

They all stared at the man who was at the table with his booted feet upon it. His hands were laced together behind his head as he smiled at Ianto. For his part Ianto paced around the room like a caged animal. The hatred for the other man was practically tangible and they all watched the Welshman warily.

"I do so love to watch you walk, Eye Candy," John Hart purred as he watched Ianto stalk around. "You have one of the tightest looking arses I've ever seen." He leaned a little to the side to get a better look at said arse. He did not even attempt to look ashamed or scared.

Jason clenched his hands into fists and tried to keep himself in check. Blood stains were a pain to clean up. Back at the warehouse he and Dan had burst into the room only to find this shorter, older man groping Ianto who looked mad enough to kill. He had yanked the guy off his lover and demanded answers.

_"Jason, this is John Hart," Ianto had bitten out._

_"John Hart?"_

_"That's Captain John Hart, if you don't mind, Sunshine."_

Jason really didn't appreciate the nickname. He also didn't appreciate that the man was purposely antagonizing his already upset lover.

Ianto spun around to face his former enemy. He crossed the room and pressed his gun to Hart's forehead. The look on his face could only be described as murderous.

Jason quickly realized that he would have to intervene, especially as Ianto didn't seem capable of reining his temper in.

"What the hell are you playing at, Hart?" Ianto demanded. He didn't notice the shocked looks he received from the others as he held the gun tight in his grip. He was so close to just pulling the trigger.

And Captain John Hart?

The bastard was smirking at Ianto as if this was all a joke. Like Ianto didn't hold his life in his hands.

"Every few months I pop by and see what's new on this dingy planet of yours'." Hart leaned back and smiled a salacious smile at Ianto as he raked his eyes over Ianto's trembling figure. "I never expected to run into _you_ here, of all people. But since I'm here, what can you tell me about Sunshine? What a body! Those muscles are simply delicious. And such a gorgeous face. I'll bet he's good in the sack too!"

"Like you'll get the chance to find out," Ianto ground out angrily.

"Ooh! You're so sexy when you're jealous," John said in a wicked tone. "Can't say that I blame you! The things I would do to him! So, how about letting me join in?"

"Fuck you!"

"Oh, goody! I always did like you, Eye Candy!"

Ianto's eyes darkened and he let out a sound that could have been a growl. He yanked Hart from the chair and slammed him against the wall with enough force to make the man's skull crack ominously.

"My name is IANTO. Not Eye Candy. _Ianto_."

Even Hart was surprised at Ianto's reaction.

Jason shook himself and moved towards them slowly. He had to force himself to remain unbiased and detached since it was clear that Ianto couldn't. There was obviously bad blood between them. He carefully pried Ianto's hands off the other man. Ianto was trembling with so much anger, so much hatred that Jason knew he had to get him out of the room.

"Come on Ianto," Jason said as he steered his lover towards the door. "I'll deal with him. You go with Shelly and make us some coffee." _And you can settle yourself down._

"Never fear, Ianto!" Hart smiled brightly at the two of them, his confidence returned now that he was out of immediate danger. "I'll be sure to keep Sunshine here warm for you." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at the two men.

The bright blue eyes flashed in fury.

"Not bloody likely!" Ianto twisted around and tried to get to Hart. "Touch him, get too close, even just _breathe_ on him and I swear I will rip your cock off and feed it to you on a stick!" he shouted as he struggled against the strong arms that were locked around his waist.

"Ianto, calm down!" Jason tightened his grip but knew that anger was a powerful adrenaline booster.

Hart cooed at Jason, "Don't let him hurt me Sunshine!"

"I will _kill_ you."

"Ianto!"

Sam moved to help Jason restrain Ianto. He was a couple inches taller and the same build as the younger man but even with Jason's help it was difficult to keep a hold of Ianto.

The rest of the team had moved back against the far wall and watched the scene play out. None of them knew the details but it was clear that Ianto and John Hart hated each other. Under less dangerous circumstances they would have been amused to see Ianto lose his cool. But the enraged glint to the blue eyes was very real. If he got free, Ianto would kill John Hart.

Jason had had enough. He took a deep breath and pulled Ianto back hard. He kept a tight grip on Ianto's arm as he shoved him forcefully out the door. The singsong tone of Hart's voice carried through the door even as Jenny hastened to close it. Jason pulled Ianto down the corridor and into his office. He closed the door and pressed Ianto against it to keep him there. Ianto struggled but now that the object of his hatred had been removed from his line of sight, the fight left him.

When Kate had been in town Jason had learned that a possessive Ianto could probably be a sexy Ianto given the right conditions. These were not the right conditions. With his current frame of mind, Ianto was more scary than sexy.

"You need to calm down, Ianto, do you understand?"

"Just let me--"

"Ianto. LOOK AT ME."

Before the authorative tone hadn't worked on Ianto. Now it caused the wavering body to go rigid and Ianto fell silent. He stared up at his lover with a desperate expression on his face. It was amazing what sleeping with someone could do to a person.

Jason regarded him carefully. He knew little about Ianto and was unsure if this level of volatility was normal for his lover. He had to tread lightly.

"Talk to me. What's the matter? I know this guy is an creep but that's no reason to go crazy."

Ianto drew in a deep, shuddering breath. His face was scrunched up in an effort to not cry.

"He and Jack… They… Once they were… together…" he rasped out as he clutched at Jason's tee shirt.

"So you're jealous?"

Jealous because of Harkness. After all that talk about choosing to be with Jason, Ianto still couldn't let go of the past.

"No, it's…" Ianto tried to collect his thoughts. He had to find the words to make Jason understand. "He helped Jack's brother. Tosh and Owen died because of him. We almost lost Jack too. And now he's here and he's… Jason!" He clutched at his lover. "You don't know what jack told me, what he's like… I won't let him take you from me…" He dissolved completely.

Perhaps it was all too much too soon for Ianto. First there was the transfer to Bluemont followed by a burgeoning relationship. Not to mention learning that Harkness and Cooper were still at Cardiff. Add the meeting of Kate and John Hart was just another slap in the face to Ianto's fragile state of mind. It was a nervous breakdown about to happen.

Jason sighed and pulled Ianto close to him, ignoring the tears that soaked his shirt.

"I am not going to leave you for him. I love _you_." He kissed Ianto's forehead. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I can't lose you. I just found you again," Ianto mumbled.

"You won't lose me."

Ianto pressed himself closer, his face buried against Jason's neck. He breathed in Jason's scent and tried to calm himself down with the pheremones.

"I lost you once… It killed me to forget."

Jason frowned and pulled him closer.

Something tugged at his mind, a memory long forgotten.

_"Please stop! You're killing him!"_

A memory of a faceless lover in tears because he was hurt. Images from a nightmare he'd had many times since leaving London ten years ago.

_"I'll never forget you. Please remember that. Remember that I love you…" Words whispered against his neck as hot tears ran down their faces._

_"We'll be together one day. Nothing can keep us apart forever. I promise I'll find you…" he said as he wrapped his lover into his embrace. "Don't forget any of it."_

_"I'll never forget you, even when you're forgotten." His lover kissed him for the last time. "As long as we love each other, that's all that matters. We'll find each other again."_

_"Then I'll always love you, even if I don't remember."_

It couldn't be real. A memory of Ianto that had been buried deep so long ago. But that was impossible, wasn't it?

Jason closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.

The faceless lover was Ianto Jones.

What the Hell was going on?


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Pieces of a Puzzle

_November 5, 2014. Wednesday evening. Bluemont Torchwood base._

Captain John Hart stood in the parking lot that belonged to Torchwood Bluemont (the sign read _'Bluemont Genetics employees only'_), his eyes trained on the small building that hid the base below. His arms were folded across his chest and his mouth set into a hard line as he tried to comprehend the situation he had found himself in. It was quite a puzzle to the former Time Agent.

He hated puzzles. No matter how hard he tried he could not _not_ try to solve them. Every single time he had been faced with a puzzle he always had to figure it out. He couldn't rest when there was a puzzle to solve.

And Ianto Jones was a big puzzle indeed.

John couldn't fathom why Ianto would be _here_ instead of in Cardiff. With Jack. Sure, Sunshine ("My name is Jason Monroe, _Captain_.") was gorgeous and built like a sex machine but Ianto had made it clear before how he felt about Jack.

So why was he _here_?

His lips curved downward as he resigned himself to solving this latest puzzle. He would first observe everyone at Torchwood then do a little research. If all that didn't produce suitable results then he would have no choice left but to talk to Ianto. No doubt the young man would not want to converse with him but he would give Ianto no other alternative.

The course of action made, John Hart flipped open his wrist strap and touched a button. He vanished into thin air.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Suzie stood outside of Mr. Franklin's office. She could hear him speak and it was quite clear that he was angry.

"I told you to keep me informed of Hart's whereabouts!"

"He slipped past our monitors, sir. We're trying to find him now."

"Don't give me your excuses. If he makes contact with Jones then I will have your head."

"Yes sir, of course sir."

"Get out."

She flattened herself against the wall as the door banged open and Kahl ran out.

They stood across from each other and stared. Suzie didn't stop to think as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. They had to be strong if they were to survive this.

Kahl sighed and rested his cheek against hers'.

"Come on," he said.

"You need to--"

"It can wait."

She followed him down the hall. There was silence as they rode the lift to his quarters. Kahl closed his door and pulled her close once more. There was no need for words as they sought the comfort that they both desperately craved.

Afterwards Suzie looked up at him as they lay on the bed.

"How did you meet him?" she asked. She knew nothing except that Kahl owed Mr. Franklin his life.

Kahl leaned back against the pillows and met her gaze. They barely knew one another yet they shared something so great, so terrifying that he could not stay away from her. Conversations usually revolved around whatever their orders for the day were or their mutual dislike of those around them. To ask questions of a personal nature was to make what they had something more than just sex. That was something that he, like most Time Agents, avoided as it was too hard.

Yet he felt compelled to respond anyway.

"I used to be one of the top Time Agents. I made Captain Jack Harkness and John Hart look like rank amateurs. The director himself asked me for help sometimes. Hell, he even wanted me to marry his daughter and be his right hand." Kahl's face darkened as he retold the story of his life.

"But then I made the biggest mistake of all. I got too confident. I started to believe that there was nothing I couldn't do, couldn't get away with. Instead of fulfilling my missions I abused the authority I had. For profit I would go backwards in time and steal valuable pieces of art or some other priceless thing and sell it. I would also do things like provide one side with advanced technology to defeat their enemies in battle, changing history."

"So what happened? Were you caught?"

"Yeah." He shifted on the bed and pulled her body closer to his. "The number one rule of time travel is that you can not cross your own timeline. The consequences are far too severe."

"But you ignored that."

"Yeah." He stroked a hand over a soft arm and smiled a bit as a smaller hand stroked his thigh. "I wanted to go back to see myself as a kid. Ya know, the whole 'trip down memory lane' kinda thing. So I did it; I went back to when I was a kid. I watched myself for a bit and then returned to the Agency."

Suzie crawled up to lay her head on his shoulder. She draped her arm across his stomach and caressed the raised scars that were there. There was something unique about reliving bad memories. Even though there was no way that a memory could truly hurt you, it was difficult to face it.

"How were you caught?" she whispered.

"All of us had rivals in the Agency. I was no different. The fact that I was favored by the director and so received the choicest assignments made me a prime target for blackmail and betrayal. There was another Agent there on an assignment from the director. He saw me watching my younger self and he rushed back and told them what I'd done. I tried to lie; I said that it wasn't me he saw but my Vortex Manipulator had all the evidence they needed to arrest and convict. It's far too easy to mess time up if you aren't careful. Time related crimes are severely punished."

"I heard you received a prison sentence. For how long?"

"Life."

"I'm sorry."

"Death would have been preferable." His voice was hushed. "I was sent to the Prison of Ten'lai. It's run by the Ten'lai'nak. They are powerful manipulators of the psyche. Using their empathic abilities they look into the deepest parts of your mind to find your most painful memories, your deepest fears and your greatest regrets. All of those are then played back over and over again while you're chained to the wall in a room with other prisoners."

"For how long?"

"Until you go mad and kill yourself. Most don't last five years."

"How long were you there?"

"Three years. Then Mr. Franklin comes in and does the impossible; he got me out. Life sentences at the Prison of Ten'lai cannot be reversed. Yet he simply walked in and handed over the order that stated I was to be released into his authority. He then told me that he was working to build a great empire and wanted me to join him. All I would have to do was follow his orders. I figured it was better than staying there reliving all that… That nightmare. But ya know," he said in a soft voice. "I've been thinking that the never ending nightmare would be better than this."

Suzie wasn't sure if she agreed or not. So she just held him.

~_~_~

_November 6, 2014. Thursday morning. Jason's house.._

Sunlight peeked in through the curtain as Ianto Jones slept with his head on Jason's chest. Jason watched his lover and wondered how difficult the day was going to be.

Yesterday had been a long day. Too bad he couldn't blame it all on Hart.

After Ianto's breakdown Jason had taken him back to his house and tucked him up in bed. Jason had then gone into the basement and dug out a box that contained a single item. The thick leather-bound journal was filled with the dreams of a faceless lover. Every single time he had dreamed Jason had written it down in as much detail as he could remember. The little project had begun when the dreams left him shaken and in tears every night for a week after his posting to Bluemont. Now the book had been hidden away for several months, almost a year, as he'd been too busy to even think about his dreams.

The dreams, the flashes of memory when doing something and the crumpets mysteriously ending up in his grocery cart from time to time…

His dreams and flashes showed a lover who could barely cook, who made fantastic coffee and looked good in purple.

Ianto could barely cook. He made the most wonderful, flavorful coffee that Jason had ever tasted. He looked fantastic in purple.

Was Ianto Jones the person he dreamed about?

_He knew at the start how to touch you._

Their first time having sex had been the most wonderful first time of his entire life. Ianto had indeed known how to touch his lover. And Jason had known how to touch in return.

It was too unbelievable to be possible.

_You work for Torchwood. The impossible is the most possible._

Jason shifted Ianto's sleeping form until he was spooned around the younger man. As terrifying as all of this was he was not about to let Ianto go. He would simply have to learn to deal with the past and the present if he wanted to secure a future for them both.

He considered the possibility that their universe was slowly merging with that of a parallel dimension and the dreams were that of another. Torchwood London had written numerous papers and performed many experiments in attempts to break through the invisible walls that separated the dimensions. The theory went that every time a decision was made, no matter how small, another separate version of the universe was created. The new dimension would share the history of the parent dimension but would continue on its own path, creating other new dimensions along the way.

One of the papers written suggested that sometimes dimensions would leak into each other. This happened for various reasons but the most common was that one of the dimensions was dying. In an effort to save itself it would try to absorb the energy of another but there wasn't enough room for two of everything and so one dimension would die. Supposedly there was a chance that in this instance some of the elements of the decaying dimension would be pushed into the other. When that happened, supposedly, the energies of the like elements (such as memories) would merge over time until they had blended completely into one another, creating one thing from two.

If that was what had caused the dreams and the flashes then it was quite possible that the Jason and Ianto of another dimension had been together as well. All the more reason for him to keep his lover close. They were meant to be together.

_We may be becoming a new version of ourselves. Created by blending two of each of us to form two from four_, he thought as he listened to the soft noises Ianto made in his sleep.

His thoughts and Ianto's sleep were interrupted as the landline rang.

Jason pressed a kiss to Ianto's temple and mumbled an apology as he pulled himself upright. He lifted the handset and glanced at the caller id.

"Mom."

"Jace, sweetheart!"

"Did you need something?" Jason asked as he watched Ianto climb out of bed and pad into the en suite bathroom.

"Can't I just call to chat?"

"You only call me _'sweetheart'_ when you got something to ask."

His mother's laugh lifted his spirits. She had a way about her that just made him feel comfortable. When he had been younger he had often breathed in the scent of her neck. She claimed to never wear perfume but she always smelled so nice and the smell had chased away his fears. His mother was his rock; no matter what was wrong he knew he could tell her.

"You got me. Alright, I ran into Kate while at the store yesterday. She told me something that made me so excited I could hardly wait to call you!"

Uh-oh.

"What did she tell you?" Jason asked carefully. His eyes darted to the bathroom; Ianto was in the shower.

"That you've finally decided to settle down. Of course, she didn't say it so nicely."

"Of course. What else did she say?"

"That you chose the ugliest young man you could find. Considering who said it, that means that he's absolutely gorgeous. So when do we get to meet him?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He hadn't thought of Ianto meeting the rest of his family. If Ianto couldn't handle Kate and the kids, would he be able to handle the entire Monroe family?

"I dunno. Work is a little crazy right now. I have to work over Thanksgiving."

"How about Christmas, then?"

"I'll ask him. But don't expect much, Mom. We haven't been together that long. He really didn't want to meet Kate."

"Who would?" his mother asked. "Do you love him?"

Jason couldn't help but smile as he thought of the last few months.

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I love him." He stood and walked over to the window. He pulled the curtain open and sat on the windowsill. "Mom, I am in love with the most wonderful, annoying, gorgeous, antagonistic man. Every time he smiles, or cries or, hell, even just blinks-- I want to be there for all of it. He's the only person who can make me so angry and so happy in the same second. I can't imagine how I was able to live before. Now that he's in my life, I can't go a day without him. Even if we've fought that day I have to have him in my arms when I go to sleep."

His mother's voice was gentle as she spoke.

"Jace, does he feel the same way?"

Jason looked in the direction of the bathroom. Just beyond the door was his lover. They had known each other for such a short time but already they had been through so much.

_"I can think of worse people to move on with."_

_"You've gotten under my skin and ingrained yourself onto my heart." _

_"But it's different with you. The things I would do for you…"_

_"Don't ever doubt how I feel about you. I'm happy here with you." _

_"I lost you once… It killed me to forget."_

_"I love you."_

The sound of the shower shutting off combined with his mother's voice pulled him from the recent memories. He smiled as he thought of all the times since they had gotten together that Ianto had said how he felt.

"Yeah, Mom. He really does love me."

"Well then, are you going to make an honest man out of him?"

His eyes drifted over to the nightstand. Inside the little drawer was a small bag. What was inside the bag made his heart pound. A part of him wanted to just take it out and get it over with. The other part of him was afraid of Ianto's reaction.

"Jace?"

He opened his mouth to reply when his cell phone beeped. It was a text message from Miranda.

"I gotta go. Just got a call from work."

His mother was used to this, had trained herself to learn to not take offense every time they had to hang up mid-conversation. It came with the territory.

"Take care. And bring that young man of yours' home to see me!"

"I'll try to talk him into it," Jason assured her. "Bye, love you."

"Love you too."

He hung up and looked at the message.

**"Rift alert. Marshall U. Meet there?"**

He sent an affirmative and started to get dressed.

"Something wrong?" Ianto asked as he padded into the bedroom in his bathrobe a few minutes later. When one worked for Torchwood, one had to be able to get ready in a hurry.

"Rift alert. You okay to go in without me?"

"If you mean, can you trust me to not kill any 51st century Captains then, yes." Ianto handed him a clean shirt. "I'll make you a thermos of coffee before you go. Lunch?"

"Sure. You pick where." Jason sat down to pull on his shoes.

Ianto nodded and walked out of the bedroom.

Five minutes later Jason was backing his car out of the garage and Ianto was left alone in the house.

He stood looking out the kitchen window as his lover drove off.

As much as he wanted to kill John Hart he knew that to do so would be pointless. It wouldn't change anything; Owen and Tosh would still be dead and Jack and the others still wouldn't want him.

_If he even touches Jason though, Heaven help him because I _will_ kill him._

He turned away and started to clean the coffee maker. He didn't notice the man who sat in the car across the street.

~_~_~

_Mid-morning. Bluemont Public Library. Research Room 1._

Books were strewn across the table and the computer was switched on. John Hart didn't need to use archaic technology. He had his handy little wrist strap. The books were for show. The library staff would have no excuse to kick him out if he appeared to be working.

There was a multitude of information on the North American Torchwoods stored on the U.S. government server as well as that of the Torchwood Institute. It had been childishly easy for him to break into the _'secure'_ sites and download everything. He now knew all about the International Torchwood program and the official biographies of the Bluemont staff. He had also discovered several discrepancies. All of it was part of the puzzle he needed to solve. He had collected everything on his wrist strap. All he had to do was study the information and the he would confront the Bluemont staff and Ianto.

Ianto Jones had died five years ago according to all of the information. The fact that he was actually alive told John that there was something big going on. Had he not also discovered that the Institute server had been altered when viewed by anyone in the United States he would have been less interested.

On one hand, Ianto was still listed as dead. He had been exposed to an alien virus and died in Jack's arms. It had all been recorded. His body was frozen and stored in a Torchwood mortuary. Jack had left the Institute for a year before returning to help Gwen rebuild and Torchwood Cardiff was still going strong.

On the other hand, Ianto had been thought dead because of the alien virus and stored. It was discovered later that he was not dead and was thawed out. He'd had to endure countless tests and rehabilitation in order to function in society once again. Jack, Gwen and a woman known as Rhiannon Davies were listed as visitors at the UNIT hospital where Ianto had been kept. Jack and Gwen had then chosen to leave Torchwood altogether and the base had been filled in with concrete and built over.

It was almost as if there was a parallel dimension trying to break in except that his wrist strap wasn't picking up the energy signal that always accompanied such things.

Two very different versions of the same situation. The first, where Ianto was supposed to still be dead, had been deleted from the database that the North American Torchwoods had access to. The fact that their access was so restricted also roused his suspicions that there was something going on. Why would their access be so limited? Why would the Institute lie about Ianto's continued existence? There was one more question that tickled at his brain.

Did Jack and Ianto know the truth or was someone manipulating them as well? Did Jack even know that Ianto was alive?

John closed his wrist strap and gathered the books into a neat stack. He leaned back in his seat and tried to work out what all of this meant. He seriously doubted that Jack and Ianto knew any of it which meant that they were being used. But by who? And to what end?

He stood and walked towards the door. Whether he wanted to or not he had to speak to Ianto. He just hoped that he was right and the young man was not the one behind it all.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

"How did you meet him?" Kahl asked Suzie as she dressed herself.

Suzie paused in her movements and frowned.

Two years before she met Captain Jack Harkness she had worked in a clothing store while going to university. Susie Costello had been full of ideas and hopes and dreams. She was smart and funny and she loved to sing karaoke with her friends on Tuesday nights at the local pub. One particular Tuesday changed her life forever.

"It was raining."

Kahl looked up from buttoning his shirt. Her voice was soft and filled with sorrow.

It was a rainy Tuesday. After karaoke she and her friends had gone to an all-night café. When she had headed home alone she cursed because she had spent all her money. She had to walk all the way home in the rain. She remembered wishing that she had worn her trainers instead of her new heels. They had been so cute though and they went with this shirt so well. Oh well, it had been worth it.

"And then I bumped into him."

Suzie remembered apologizing to the man with the American accent.

_"That's quite all right, Miss Costello."_

_Her legs froze. How did he know her name? Oh God, was he stalking her?_

_"What…"_

_"I've been looking for you."_

"And then he told me about Torchwood. He said I should consider signing up. He gave me a business card and then walked away."

"You contacted him later?"

"The next day. I wanted to know why he wanted me. He said that he had seen something in me that told him I was special. He said that I would finally get the chance to prove my father wrong."

"Your father?"

"He always told me how useless I was. My mother died giving birth to me and he never got over it. My biggest dream was to show him that I was not incompetent or stupid. Mr. Franklin said he could help me with that." She smiled bitterly. "And so I signed away my life."

"To Mr. Franklin."

"Yes. Like you, he owns me." Suzie pulled at the tangles in her hair. "He arranged for Harkness to notice me and that's how I was 'recruited'. I was a spy." She gave up on her hair and yanked it into a loose bun. She bit her lip and thought of the young man who had made her coffee every day for six months. "Ianto is just an innocent bystander. He doesn't deserve this."

Kahl stepped up behind her and looked at their disheveled reflections in the mirror. He likened the image before them as symbolic of the turmoil that was their existence.

"And what about Harkness? Where does he fit into all of this?"

"He's his son." Suzie leaned back into the other's embrace. "Jack is his son."

"He's doing this to his own son?"

Suzie didn't even try to stop the tears that trickled down her face.

"He's going to destroy his own son."

~_~_~

_Back at Jason's house._

Ianto watched the news as he ate his breakfast. He had called the base and was assured that there was no need to rush into work. It wasn't often that a Torchwood employee was able to take one's time and enjoy a meal so he was determined to take advantage of it. After yesterday he was fairly certain that no one would mind. They all probably thought he was crazy anyway.

If only they knew how bad John Hart could be.

He sighed at that thought and turned back to his cereal. He was about to fix himself a second bowl when the doorbell rang. Climbing to his feet he made certain that his bathrobe was tied shut and he walked to the door.

"Morning, Eye Candy!"

"Bloody hell."

"And don't you look ravishing!"

Ianto scowled and moved to shut the door but Hart was quick enough to get inside.

"Get out."

"I just wanted to have a little chat."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Then I'll make you a deal. Make me a cup of coffee --haven't had a decent cup in ages-- talk with me for a minute then I'll leave. I won't bother you again."

Ianto's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And why should I trust you?"

"What have you got to lose?"

"Fine. One cup and five minutes. But if you even think about going near Jason, I won't hesitate to kill you."

"Deal."

Five minutes later and John Hart was convinced that Ianto made the best coffee in the entire universe. What he was less certain of was exactly WHY Ianto was here in the first place.

"Talk."

"You 21st century people can be so rude."

"And you 51st century people can't be trusted."

"Not even Jack?"

He saw the flicker of hurt that crossed the other man's face.

"Alright. Tell me why you're here instead of Cardiff. You and Jack have a falling out?"

Ianto looked away for a moment before replying.

"Five years ago aliens tried to force Earth to give up 10% of the world's children. We tried to stop it. I was exposed to an air borne alien virus. It didn't kill me but everyone thought it had so they froze my body and placed it in a mortuary. Over two years later I was removed from my coffin and thawed out. After my mind recovered, Jack came to see me in hospital."

"What happened?" John asked as he stirred more sugar into his cup.

"What do you think?" Ianto asked. "He told me that I was insignificant to him. He said he was leaving me and that I needed to move on."

John sat back and folded his arms.

"And you believe that bullshit?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because he loved you."

Ianto frowned at him.

"He never said. Even when I thought I was dying and said it to him, he couldn't say it."

"Ianto, think about it," John said. "To commit your heart to someone you know will die and leave you alone is not an easy thing to do. Imagine how that must feel like for Jack. He is going to live forever. He'll always be alone. Of course he couldn't say it; it hurts too much to think about it!"

"It doesn't matter. He could have at least said it that last time," Ianto insisted.

"The prettier, the more stupid," John muttered. "Look, Jack loved you. I know he did."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's the reason I hated you."

"What?"

John sighed and looked him in the eye.

"I saw the way he looked at you. The way he said your name, the way he was always watching you. I wanted him to look at me like that. But as long as you were around, I knew he wouldn't. I actually thought of killing you but knew he would chase me to the end of the universe to avenge you."

"No he wouldn't. He--"

"Loved you to the point of distraction." John stood and came around to kneel before him. He placed a hand on Ianto's knee and looked up at him. "After Gray was subdued, I spoke to Jack alone. I wanted him to come with me but he said he couldn't. He told me that he needed to stay for you. When I told him that you would be fine, he said that the only reason he hadn't killed Gray was because his brother hadn't killed _you_."

Bright blue eyes filled with tears as Ianto listened to the older man's voice.

Was it true? Had Jack loved him?

"He loved me?" Ianto's voice was a mere whisper.

"Yes, he really did. Which means that whoever visited you in the hospital wasn't Jack."

Ianto's heart began to lift only to sink.

"It doesn't matter," Ianto said.

"Why not? This means you can go back to Cardiff and be with him!"

"No."

"Why?"

Ianto cradled his mug in his hands. Last night Jason had held him as he cried. Jason had told him over and over how much he loved him.

"Because then I wouldn't be with Jason."

John took the mug from the trembling hands and set it on the table.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"As much as you do Jack?"

A whispered, "Yes."

"What do you want me to do then?" John asked softly.

"Why do you want to do anything?"

"Because I know that helping Gray was wrong. I will always regret what I did. Jack did his penance. I need to do mine."

They were silent for several moments as they looked at each other.

It was Ianto who broke the silence.

"Two things then, Captain Hart."

"Name them."

"First, don't ever tell Jack that I'm alive. He deserves more than me. And I can't hurt Jason. I just can't. I need him."

John nodded. "Second?"

Ianto took a deep breath. "Take care of him for me. Since I can't be there, be there in my place. You know how he is."

"I can do that."

Captain John Hart stood and pulled Ianto to his feet as well. He brought their bodies together; one hand cradled Ianto's face while the other gripped his waist. He kissed the same lips that Jack had kissed so many times before. As he lifted his mouth away he could taste tears.

"Ianto. Do me a favor." He pressed a small pendant on a chain into Ianto's hand. "Keep this close by at all times. There's a small notch on the back that you can fit a pinhead in when you need to activate it."

"What is it?" Long fingers curled around the chain.

"Whenever you need me, use it. I'll find my way to you."

Ianto looked up in surprise.

"I don't… Why?"

"Because." John pressed his lips to Ianto's once more. "I love him too."

He stepped back and opened his wrist strap. With the touch of a button, he was gone.

~_~_~

_November 6, 2014. Thursday evening. Torchwood Cardiff._

Gwen looked at Jack. The two of them sat in the boardroom alone. The table was covered with all the files on the Rift expansion and the Bluemont base.

"So, are we going to do this?" she asked.

Jack sighed and looked at the phone that sat on the table in front of him. It had been about a week since the last email to Monroe. They had hoped to hear from the man again but as they had not, Jack had to make a choice.

"Okay, let's do it."

He lifted up the receiver and punched in the first of a series of numbers that were needed to reach the Bluemont base. He listened to the clicks and touched the speaker button before placing the receiver back in its place.

The sound of ringing filled the otherwise silent room and the two people sat there waiting.

"Jason Monroe."

"Jason Monroe. You're in charge of Torchwood Bluemont, correct?"

"Okay, who the hell is this? If this is another prank call--"

"This is Captain Jack Harkness of Torchwood Cardiff."

The irritated voice on the other end trailed off.

"Hello? Monroe, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here." Monroe sounded as if he'd just been punched in the gut.

"We need to talk about the Rifts. If they should meet, we don't know what to expect. The Rifts may end destroying the Earth.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we can help you. We've never noticed any signs of our Rift expanding so--"

"No," Jack said smoothly. "But Gwen says that you've noticed an increase in activity. Probably the first sign."

Monroe didn't respond. Jack couldn't help but wonder if the man was as brilliant as Hartman had believed. So far he was less than impressed. Gwen really shouldn't be allowed to look at pictures; she was probably more interested in Monroe's looks than his expertise.

"Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, Harkness, I am," Monroe snapped. "You've caught me at a bad time."

"Why's it a bad time?"

"Because believe it or not, _Harkness_, just because we're located in Bluemont, West Virginia that doesn't mean that we don't get a lot of crap from the Rift tossed at us."

Jack scowled and leaned forward.

"No offense, _Monroe_, but I doubt you've seen half of what we've seen!"

With a roll of her eyes, Gwen sighed. Two alpha males. Just great.

"Boys, can we all play nice for a few minutes please?"

"Who's that?"

"Hello! It's Gwen Cooper, your email buddy," Gwen said cheerily.

"Oh, hello."

"Forgive Jack. He hasn't had any coffee yet today so he's cranky." She picked up the file with Monroe's picture on it. He really was very handsome. "I'm curious, but why isn't there anything on Bluemont for the last few years?"

"I wouldn't know. If I had to guess I'd say it's probably a cross-cultural miscommunication. Your government and mine chose to stop sharing information or something like that."

"Yo, Jason! We got another!

Jack and Gwen both startled at the man's voice.

"Then get in the car, Sam. Be there in a second."

"What about Ia--"

Whatever Sam had been about to say was cut off quickly with an exclamation and the sound of a door slamming.

"Harkness, Cooper, I gotta go."

"Anything the matter?" Gwen asked.

"Rift activity. Aliens at a local college. Over-caffeinated students. You know, the usual."

"Monroe," Jack said before the other man could hang up. "We really need to sit down and discuss the Rifts. Can we contact you again?"

Even across the vast space they could feel the hesitation.

"I'll send you my private phone number. I don't want to worry the others until we have something to worry them about."

"Alright then. Send it to Gwen and we'll continue--"

"I'll contact you," Monroe said quickly and he hung up.

Jack and Gwen stared at each other from across the table. The dial tone was loud in the otherwise silent room. Gwen reached over and switched the phone off.

"Jack, maybe we shouldn't wait for him to contact us," she began slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if Monroe can't pull himself away from work long enough to talk to us, then maybe we should go and see him."

Jack looked up from his musings and frowned.

"Leave Cardiff? The team isn't ready for--"

"They are. We've trained them. They are more than ready. Besides, if the Rifts are merging together, then we need to be at the convergence point."

"Ground Zero." Jack sighed and shook his head. "It's just… Everything that matters to me is _here_. I don't like the thought of leaving." _Leaving Torchwood, Steven. Ianto._

"It won't be for long. A couple of weeks at the most."

"Make the neccesary calls."

~_~_~

_November 7, 2014. Friday morning. Torchwood Cardiff, Tourist Office._

Lois looked up as a man walked through the door. He was older, perhaps in his mid-forties, and attractive. He wore a red military style jacket over a cream colored shirt with black pants and tall brown boots. If she worked anywhere but Torchwood she would have assumed that the strange attire was for some sort of fancy dress party or a play. However she did work for Torchwood so she calmly reached under the counter and touched the small blue button that would sound an alarm down below.

"Hello. How may I help you?"

"I'm here to see Captain Jack. Where's that scalawag at?"

Lois was very glad for the button. People didn't walk through the door of the Mermaid Quay Tourist Office and ask for Captain Jack. Whenever that happened it was generally bad news.

"And you are?"

"Captain John Hart. What's your name, pretty lady?"

"Stop flirting with my staff."

John and Lois both looked up to see Jack and Gwen come through the door hidden by the wall.

"Jack! Gwen! Been awhile!"

Jack couldn't help the smile as he looked at his old partner. He hadn't seen the man since the day that Owen and Tosh had died. The other Time Agent had left to explore the planet and then returned to the future a few weeks later. There had been no sign of him since then on 21st century Earth.

"It's good to see you," Jack said as he looked at the other man. "More laugh lines and a few random gray hairs, I see."

"Ah!" John said with a cheeky grin. "But I carry it well! Gwen, you look lovely as ever!"

"John," Gwen said with a smile. He had been a bastard but he'd turned out alright in the end. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, just got bored in the future. Thought I'd see what you were all up to. So, any chance of Eye Candy making some of that fabulous coffee of his?"

John watched as Jack's eyes died a little right before him. He was right; Jack had loved Ianto Jones. Still did.

"Ianto…" Jack looked away for a moment, the wall of sudden interest. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Ianto's dead, John. He's been dead for five years now."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you?" Jack asked. John had hated Ianto before.

"You loved him, so yes." John stepped close and touched his shoulder. "I wish I had been here. I may have been able to prevent it."

Tears prickled at Jack's eyes but he blinked them away. "It's in the past. That can't be changed. Anyway, it really is good to see you."

"Thanks, it's good to see you too. So, you did some remodeling I see." The tourist office looked different. And if what he'd learned was true the Hub had needed a complete rebuild.

"Want a tour of the new base?"

Jack was smiling but the grief was still so plain to see in his eyes and the tightness of his mouth. The other Captain knew that his old friend would never truly move on past the pain of losing someone he loved. He would need help to learn to adjust. Well, John had made a promise and he was going to keep it. He would watch over Jack as best he could, keep him out of trouble. He would also watch over Ianto and Sunshine. Damn, he was getting soft in his old age.

"I'd love it."

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Suzie watched as Kahl ordered the UNIT soldiers to find Captain Hart. She knew that he didn't care one way or the other about the other man but had to appear to follow orders. Mr. Franklin was not a happy man and wanted Hart found.

_Mr. Franklin._

She still could not believe that the man thought he was doing the right thing by changing the course of Earth's history. And for what? So that his son, Captain Jack Harkness could be reunited with his lover Ianto Jones.

If it were to make Earth a better future then maybe it would have been alright but to do all of this for such selfish reasons was abdominal. While she did not feel that Ianto should have been made to suffer like he had she also was aware that if Mr. Franklin had left things alone none of it would have happened in the first place. Ianto would have met and fallen for Jason and Jack would never have even met the younger man. Jack's heart would never have been broken when Ianto died since Ianto was supposed to have lived to be an old man and die a peaceful death. Instead Mr. Franklin had shattered so many lives.

She could understand that he was grieving; that the deaths of his wife and younger son had affected him greatly. That was not a good enough reason to do this.

"You okay?" Kahl asked as he joined her at her workstation.

"I was just thinking," she said. She kept her voice down so as not to be overheard.

"About what?"

"About how much more sense it would make for him to go back far enough to prevent Jones and Monroe from meeting and then have Jones meet Jack. They would still fall for each other and there would be less hardship for all of us. Why go to all of this trouble when there's an easier way?"

Kahl smiled a bit and shook his head. "Because he's insane."

"Kahl!" she hissed.

He shrugged and leaned back. "It's true. You know it. I think everyone here does."

"Then why are they all here?"

"Because of what he's promised. A bigger and better future for Earth. An empire that will reign forever and all of them will reap the benefits of it. And so far he's impressed these 21st century minions with his advanced technology and knowledge. As for the 51st century minions, all of them were either sentenced to prison or so far down in the ranks that they would never amount to anything."

"But I thought the Agency was finished."

"It is. But most of the Agents still found work that utilized their experience. The ones who were at the top when the Agency was still active have either gone freelance or set up small businesses. The others, the leftovers, couldn't keep up. They were the ones who never learned from their mistakes, who couldn't work with anyone else. To then be offered a place in Mr. Franklin's new empire is like a dream come true." He huffed and shook his head. "They don't even realize that they're being used. They all think that they'll be part of his special guard but they're canon fodder."

"Meaning what?"

"Expendable. He won't put himself at risk and, not to sound arrogant, but you and I are more important to him because of what we know. So he'll put them on the front line and save himself."

"All because of Jack," Suzie said with a sigh.

Kahl leaned forward, their arms touching, and whispered, "Is it true? Is Harkness immortal?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Think about it, Suzie. His planet is invaded and he's technically dead, saved only by a piece of advanced technology. He returns home a few years later only to watch as his planet is destroyed. He learns that his son is in Earth's past and is somehow unable to die. He then decides to go back in time to reunite his son with a dead lover, who was never supposed to die, and build an empire with his son."

"You think that he wants Jack to make him immortal as well?"

"Yeah. And I think that he wants to save his wife and the other son too."

"But why do it this way?"

"Grief can make a person do crazy things. He thinks that this is the best way to do it. Instead of preventing Jones from meeting Monroe in their past he's trying to keep them apart in the present. He doesn't even realize that he's making things worse."

"So what can we do?"

"I know what _I'm_ doing. I've fed them false info on Hart."

"What? Why?"

"That man is obsessed with Harkness. Whether or not he can die, Harkness is in danger too. Hart will make sure to keep an eye on him. If he's even on Earth."

"Okay… But that's not enough. Mr. Franklin wants Monroe out of the picture and Jones to be with Jack. We have to protect them both."

Kahl grimaced. "Yeah. Even though I hate them both, I agree with you." He frowned. "When I attacked Monroe, I dunno, but he seemed familiar somehow."

"Any idea?"

A shake of a head. "No. When I held Jones to me, I could smell Monroe on him. It was faint, as if they hadn't touched for a few days but it was still there."

"It was probably cologne or aftershave."

"No it wasn't. It was pheromones." Kahl touched his fingers to his lips in thought. "21st century pheromones are much less noticeable. Perfumes are used to help enhance the body's natural scent but the two can be separated with evolved senses like mine. 51st century pheromones are more potent to 21st century humans. The smell is more enticing."

"So then what are you saying? That Jason Monroe is from the 51st century? I have his complete history on file here. He was born in 1968."

"No, that's not it. The scent is familiar but it's not a pure scent."

"Talk sense, Kahl. I don't get it."

"I mean, Monroe isn't from the 51st century but he smells almost exactly like someone who is. He's a product of two times."

"What?"

"Jason Monroe was born to a parent from the 21st and 51st century."

~_~_~

_November 8, 2014. Saturday morning. A two-story house in a quiet neighbor._

Adeliyah sat on her favorite chair as she looked through a photo album. Pictures of her children, past and present, looked back at her as she flipped through the pages and her memories. One picture in particular caught her eye.

Her youngest child was the most volatile and strong-minded of her children. He had been even before he was born. She could remember the first time she held him, the way he had looked up at her with his large eyes that took in everything around him. Even as a newborn she had known that out of all five children he was the one who would never give up. She had chosen his name because he reminded her of her cousin. It was a tradition where she was from to name children after people who you admired. Her cousin had been several years older than her and she had adored him to the point where she'd had a bit of an infatuation with him. Her cousin had been passionate, determined, arrogant and kind. He never allowed anything to get in his way but he was also very gentle.

Adeliyah had wanted her son to be like her cousin so she had named him after the man in hopes that he would be great. And he was.

Her son was no longer a little boy but a man with children of his own. Life hadn't been without pain and suffering for him but he had overcome all of it without relying on anyone to help him. The only thing he had given up on, the only thing that he truly feared was love. Love had come too quickly when he was much younger and had burnt out just as fast. The anguish he'd felt at someone to whom he had pledged his heart betraying him had caused him to lose any hope at finding his soul mate.

She smiled as she thought of the phone conversation yesterday. Her little boy, her baby, was in love. She had heard his words as he described his feelings for his partner and knew that it wasn't lust or a crush. Now the ring she had given him ten years previous was sure to be given to another, someone worthy of it.

Her ring was an heirloom, one of the few things she had of her parents'. She had always worn it except when she washed the dishes. When her son had been nine years old the ring had been lost down the drain. It had hurt, as it had belonged to her mother, but she had taken it as a sign that she had to move past her memories of another life. There was no way she could go back to who she had been as that world, that existence was no more. Adeliyah had her own family, a husband and children, who needed and loved her. Even if the impossible had become possible she would never have chosen to go back. All that she needed was in the here and now. So she had shed a few tears and forgotten the ring. Three days later her son had called her into the basement and held out his hand. Nestled in a small palm was her ring.

_"How?" she gasped._

_"I took the pipes apart, Mom. Don't be mad."_

_"But why?"_

_"Because you love it. It belonged to Gramma and was important to you."_

Adeliyah had held him close and thanked him. She had then cleaned the ring and placed it inside a small velvet pouch and locked it away. At the boy's confused look she had explained that the ring wasn't as important as the _meaning_ behind it. She had closed the book on her past and looked to the future.

It was only after her son had divorced and was preparing to move to England for work that she took the pouch out of her jewelry box. She had spoken to her son in private and given it to him.

_"Mom?"_

_"I know that right now you don't believe this, but one day you'll meet someone who you'll want to spend your entire life with. When you do, give them this."_

_"But this is yours! It belonged to Gramma!"_

_"I know. She would be so happy if you gave it to someone. I didn't give it to you before because I didn't feel that _**she**_ deserved it."_

_"You were right. I wish that I'd never met her."_

_"No, you don't mean that. She wasn't right for you but she gave you four beautiful children and taught you a lot even though you don't realize it."_

_"Mom, I don't think I should take this. I'm never getting involved with anyone again."_

_"Yes you will. Your heart's far too big. You're too much like my cousin to be able to avoid it."_

_"I wish I'd have met him."_

_"Who knows… maybe one day you will."_

Now he was in love. Adeliyah knew that this time it was for real. This time her son, her precious baby, had found the one he was meant to be with forever.

~_~_~

_November 9, Sunday afternoon. Bluemont. Apartment above the grocer._

Jason fidgeted as he waited for Ianto to finish dressing It had been four days since he'd spoken to Torchwood Cardiff. Four days since he'd spoken to the man who still had a large piece of his lover's heart.

The Rift had nearly doubled in activity for two days before calming down. The last couple of days had been very quiet so Jason had given the staff a few days off. With it being Sunday the rest of the staff wanted to get together for an afternoon out. They were meeting at the Chinese buffet for a late lunch and then going to the movies. All in all a normal day for the Torchwood Bluemont staff.

With a deep breath Jason tried to keep his heart from bursting free of his ribcage. Ever since his conversation with Harkness he had been working up the courage he needed to cross a major hurdle in his growing relationship with Ianto. He prayed that this went well; he didn't know what to do if it didn't.

He stood and took a small velvet pouch from his pocket. His long fingers reached in and removed the tiny thing it contained and he set the pouch on the side table. His hands shook as he tried to imagine how his lover would react. Sweat broke out on his forehead at all the possibilities, not all of them good.

"Ready to head out, Jason?"

Jason stared at his lover. Ianto wore a black, long sleeved button down shirt. Dark jeans hugged his hips and ass just enough to be sexy. Black work boots kept the look casual but smart. Damn, he was gorgeous.

"Jason, what's wrong?" Ianto asked as he stepped closer to him in concern.

In reply, Jason pulled his lover to him and kissed the full lips. He wrapped an arm around the slim waist and tugged on Ianto's left hand.

Ianto molded his body to that of his lover as he returned the kiss. He was about to put his arms around his lover's neck when he felt something cool slide along his left hand. He pulled back and looked down.

A braid of gold and diamond was wrapped around his left ring finger.

"Jason?" Ianto breathed.

So many things that he'd wanted and knew he would never have. He had long ago given up any chance of normalcy. Jack would never have considered this.

The ring meant more to Ianto than it would have to anyone else. It was a symbol of what he had always wanted but could never have. It was a symbol of so much pain and heartache and love and joy. Of loss and hope and missed chances. Of starting over and having a new ending to a once bitter, twisted fairytale. Of letting go and starting anew.

"Ianto. I know we've only known each other a short while but I can't live without you."

Oh God, was he actually…

"Jason…"

Could he really do this? Could he take that final step from one page to the next? Was one chapter of his life finally at an end and a new chapter about to begin?

"I love you Ianto Jones. Marry me?"

* * *

NOTES!!!!!!!

Sorry for two things: only one chapter and the way it ended. Will Ianto say 'Yes' or 'No'? Will John Hart keep his promise to Ianto? And what about Jack?

Like I said last time, I need to be a few chapters ahead before I post. The interlude is being worked on. Only one chapter until that and then Story Arc One is finished. Ianto has a lot of decisions to make soon and the time frame will be shorter. There is at least one death and some torture so be warned. I will try to post warnings just in case but I don't think it's too graphic.

So, what'd you all think?

Remember, after the interlude Jack will be in Bluemont and then the love triangle drama will really get going!!!


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Postponement of Inevitability

_November 9, 2014. Sunday evening. Torchwood Cardiff._

Captain John Hart looked at his old friend from across the table. It was easy to see that the joviality was a mask to hide the true feelings of the other man.

"Jack, this is me. Talk to me."

"What's there to talk about?" Jack asked with a grin.

"Ianto."

Jack turned to look at an alien artefact that was laid out on the table. He started to poke at the various cords and buttons in an attempt to appear focused.

"Jack…"

"There's nothing to say. He died because of my own stupidity. That's the end of it."

"Except that you haven't gotten over him."

Jack's hands stilled.

"How," he whispered. "Could I ever get over him? I love him."

"You've loved others."

"Not like _this_." Jack turned back to face his friend. "No one else really understood. The day before… the day before I lost him, do you know what he said? '_I've only just scraped the surface, haven't I?_'" He turned back to the artefact. "I was so cold to him; told him that was all there was. But he knew that I was more than that. Ianto Jones knew me so much better than anyone and I couldn't even tell him that I loved him. I didn't deserve him."

"He loved you to the end. Isn't it enough to know that?"

"No. I should have told him how much he meant to me but I was always so afraid of being left behind, of being alone, that I didn't. He died in my arms and I _couldn't even tell him_…"

John closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms tight around the other man. As he held the sobbing man he contemplated telling him that Ianto was alive and well. Then he thought of how Ianto had looked when talking about Monroe. He couldn't do that to the younger man. Ianto had found someone who cared about him. More than that, Monroe was mortal; he could grow old with Ianto. Jack would never be able to give Ianto a life like that.

So instead of breaking his promise to Ianto, John Hart simply held Jack as he cried.

It was late in the night before either of them spoke again. They sat in Jack's office drinking coffee and eating biscuits while Jack filled John in on the Rift expansion.

"Gwen's convinced me to go to another Torchwood base in the U.S. It's in a little town called Bluemont."

John choked on his biscuit and coughed. Shit. Shitshitshit.

"Why?" He had to keep Jack away from Bluemont. If Jack found out about Ianto and Monroe… Jack Harkness could be a possessive bastard. He and Monroe would no doubt argue. If Jack learned that Ianto was sleeping with another man, there would be trouble, to put it mildly. Someone would get hurt if Jack found out.

"We think, according to all of the data, that our Rift is heading for theirs'."

"So?"

"We have to try and stop it. At the very least we need to prepare the world for the consequences."

Ah ha! A way out of trouble. Jack's sense of duty and honor was almost as great as his feelings for a certain Tea Boy; he would stay far away from Bluemont if he had a good enough reason.

"Then you need to be here."

Jack looked up and frowned. "Why?"

"To help prepare." John leaned forward to look Jack in the eye. "If you go off gallivanting around the world then you might miss something important _here_. You need to stay here and coordinate."

"But the contact point is the Bluemont Rift. I'm needed there," Jack protested.

"According to my data, there are several Rifts on Earth."

"Tell me something I _don't_ know."

"No need to be so sarcastic," John huffed.

"Get to the point then."

"My point is this: the Bluemont Rift is probably just a small piece of the puzzle. It's more than reasonable to assume that _all_ the Rifts are linked."

Jack stared at him in surprise. He hadn't thought about that. They had only been concerned about the Cardiff Rift in the beginning. It was only after Gwen had run some tests and discovered the International Torchwoods that the Bluemont Rift had even entered his thoughts. But what if John was right? What if it was bigger than just two Rifts? What if all the Rifts were converging? If that were the case then it would be better for him to stay at Cardiff and monitor everything. This was where it had all begun so it made sense.

_And I won't have to leave Ianto behind._

"I think you're right," he said slowly. "For now, we'll stay here."

Great Goddess, it was a wonderful thing that Jack Harkness was so damned arrogant. Now that he felt he was the only one who could coordinate any course of actions considered necessary, he would stay in Cardiff. All John had to do was keep reminding him of how much he was needed here to run things and Ianto's secret would be kept safe. Piece of cake.

John smiled and sipped his coffee.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

"You alright?" Kahl asked as Suzie rinsed her mouth out.

She looked up at their reflection and nodded. "Just had a bad taste in my mouth. Nothing to worry about."

With a nod Kahl turned and walked out the door into the small sleeping space. Suzie finished up and joined him in the room. The sleeping quarters on the station were all tiny and drab. Painted medium gray, the four walls almost felt like a prison. A small bed, dresser, desk and chair made up the furnishings. There was little room for personalization in the staff quarters. If there was at least a rug on the floor or a framed picture on the wall, Suzie believed it would make all the difference.

But Mr. Franklin kept everyone on a tight leash. He refused to permit any of them to decorate their rooms. His reason was that they were all far too busy with their work and that they needed as few distractions as possible. Personal possessions were kept to a minimum. They had to be able to fit their belongings in a small travel bag, which left no room for pretty things.

_And here we are, building an empire of riches, while we live like prisoners._

Suzie sighed and sat down on the bed, a hand on her stomach.

"You sure you're alright?"

"Fine. Just tired," she assured him.

He knew she had every reason to be tired. For Monroe and Jones it had been several months since they had met. For Suzie and him it had been a few weeks since they had shared their pasts with each other. They had been working in secret to try to find a way to stop Mr. Franklin from reaching his goal. Every single day they did their master's bidding. They had to be careful because his mindless servant, Yvonne Hartman, watched them like a hawk. Everything she witnessed she turned around and reported to the older man. To survive this nightmare they had to maintain a distance that most humans (past and future) found disconcerting. If they were ever found out, if anyone learned what they were attempting to do, death would probably be the kindest punishment they could expect.

"Okay," Kahl said as he leaned back against the wall. "I was able to learn a bit more about the younger son."

"You mean Gray?"

"Yeah. Get this; the brat survived the alien invasion."

"He's alive?" That was good, she thought. Maybe if he learned his other son was still alive--

"He was. He used Hart's connection to Harkness to force the man into helping him. He then buried his brother alive in the far past, knowing full well that he wouldn't truly die, and ended up causing the deaths of two of Harkness's colleagues. A Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper."

"Tosh and Owen are dead?"

Suzie covered her mouth with her hand and closed her eyes. Toshiko had been her friend and Owen had been a little bit more than that. She had been so focused on stopping Mr. Franklin that she hadn't even thought about the others at Cardiff.

"You knew them? I'm sorry," Kahl said as he watched her rein in her emotions.

"It doesn't matter. Right now," Suzie said. "We need to worry about the present."

"Okay," he continued in an even tone. "Harkness didn't have the heart to kill his brother so he used advanced alien cryogenics to freeze and store him in the base. When the base was destroyed by the bomb, the glass seal of the capsule cracked and Gray suffocated in his sleep."

"So then Jack had to bury his lover, his grandson _and_ his brother all at the same time?"

"According to a journal entry written by Cooper, the base was left in ruin for several months before the clean up began. That was how Harkness learned about his brother. Cooper wrote that Harkness had lost too much to be affected anymore. He just took the capsule and buried it next to his grandson and made the decision to leave the planet. Cooper began the rebuilding and Torchwood Cardiff carried on."

"Jack lost so much so quickly. I wonder if he even could still cry when he found Gray's body."

"I couldn't say. Grief is difficult to manage in small doses and he received more than a lifetime's share in a matter of months."

"So what do we do?"

Kahl sighed and crossed his arms.

"We have to keep Mr. Franklin from learning about the boy's fate. It'll be hard enough to keep him from changing the timelines to save Jones. He may decide that his younger son is more important or even more docile and choose to save him instead."

"No, Jack's immortality will make him the better choice," Suzie said. "Mr. Franklin wants to live forever. He only sees how terrible death can be when it takes away loved ones. He doesn't understand that for Jack not able to die and stay dead is a curse."

"Tell me."

She tugged at a lock of her hair and began to braid it as she gathered her thoughts into a sort of catalogue of facts. To cover their tracks they had agreed to not leave behind paper trails. In order to do that they had to memorize information immediately and delete all trace of their findings from the central computer. It was not an easy task for the evolved brain of the Time Agent. It was even more difficult for the 21st century woman.

"The records are a mess but I was able to find a data book of Jack's from the 37th century in the database. Most of the entries talk about different aliens and cultures but some contain his personal thoughts." She smiled a bit. "Ianto Jones remained a constant chorus in the symphony of his life. There were several entries detailing memories and dreams about him. Jack also wrote about how he prayed every day for _'true death to come and take me into the darkness so that this blessed curse would finally end.'_"

"And it was because he lost Ianto Jones that he wanted to lose his immortality?"

"He saw it as a curse before but losing Ianto pushed him over the edge. He wrote how he hated pretending to have moved on and pretending to fall in love. He felt that he could only be himself when he sank into his memories. The only memories that made him feel free from his fate were those of Ianto."

"Love and grief are possibly the most powerful entities in the entire universe," Kahl said. "That also creates a whole new problem."

"What?"

"What if Jack Harkness is so overcome with grief that he actually chooses to help his father?"

~_~_~

Yvonne Hartman lay naked on the bed, her vacant eyes glued to the ceiling, as Mr. Franklin dressed himself.

He rather enjoyed having a willing body to play with. After so long alone it was nice to have a partner so in tune with his needs.

She had been so eager to please him before the Cybermen converted her. Her devotion and affection had served him well. Information on Jack and Torchwood had been laid before him to use as he saw fit. He made good use of that; just like her body. All that was left was a ruined brain and perfect memory. The perfect lapdog.

Now he looked at her and recalled the way his wife had smiled. She had not been as pretty as this woman but she had been what he wanted. His wife had always found a way to make his troubles seem so petty. They had been happy.

And then he had made the mistake of wanting to give his family more.

Born a simple boy to simple parents, Franklin had never known anything other than what the Boeshane Peninsula had to offer. His childhood had been idyllic and full of ignorance. When he had become an adult he had ventured away from the small colony world and gone to Earth. The glistening blue planet had been the complete opposite of his home world. There was so much to see, to do. It was bigger, louder, brighter than his own little planet. He had spent a few years learning everything he could about the way other humans lived before returning home. It had been his intent to leave the Boeshane for good and travel the stars. But as he had been strolling through the market square he knew so well he had seen her.

They had been childhood friends who had drifted apart as they grew into young adults. As he stood there on the street he had seen how she had blossomed in his absence. There had been far more attractive girls on the noisy blue planet but none had been as full of life as she. Less than a year later they were married and expecting their first born.

Franklin had pushed aside his desire for a better, brighter life in order to spend every second with his wife and baby boy. A few years later they had a second son and could not have been happier.

But happiness was fleeting, he had discovered.

He had never forgotten his materialistic desires. It pained him to see his beautiful sons playing in the sand and surrounded by plainness. He had grown up with very little and did not want his children to suffer through that.

_"Franklin, they're happy. They don't want anything like what Earth children have!"_

_"You don't understand, dear. You've always been here. I felt so ashamed of my humble upbringing that I looked like a pauper to my Earth friends."_

_"I doubt that. Don't be so closeminded. Our children are happy. That's what's important."_

_"But there is so much out there--"_

_"And they will see it. For now, let them be children."_

A chance encounter with an old friend from Earth had strengthened his desire to give his sons more. He had accompanied the other man to a small planet and a small research facility that changed his ideas of what life was about.

The search for immortality had plagued mankind since its inception. Death was the one thing that was a certainty for all humans. It was also something that so many feared. A small device had been designed to freeze the body's cells when only minutes from certain death. It was implanted within the body and took several weeks to take full effect. The idea was that the freezing process, which could last for several decades, would grant doctors more time to heal fatal wounds and cure diseases with less loss of life.

Franklin had agreed to test the prototype and was paid handsomely for it. He knew his wife would be suspicious if he suddenly had more money and so he set up an off-world account and eased his family into a more comfortable lifestyle. All he was required to do was infect himself with minor ailments and monitor the readings that came through the implant's scanners. He carried the implant inside him for a few years and gathered a great deal of information for the researchers. He was also able to buy bigger and better things for his family. His sons had become a little more spoiled but he saw it as a good thing. He knew that they would not become so greedy that they would be ungrateful.

And then suddenly, everything was taken from him.

His firstborn had just celebrated his twelfth birthday. The party had been held outside by the beach. His baby boy had been jealous of the pile of gifts his brother had received. After the cake had been served, Franklin had gone to sit and watch the sunset. Eventually he was alone on the beach and he had reflected on how much he had gained in such a short time. As the sun rose the little colony had burst to life. The children all headed to school while their parents went about doing their work. His wife had been at her sister's house visiting the new baby born a few weeks prior.

And still Franklin sat on the beach looking at the gentle waves as they licked at his feet.

The first screech had sounded just as his sons were having lunch outside. Within minutes the horrible creatures had already killed so many people. Franklin had placed his baby's hand into that of his firstborn and told his son to look after Gray. His firstborn was strong, fast and intelligent; he was sure they would be fine. He had then hurried to help those that he could.

A razor sharp talon tore into his stomach just as he'd reached his in-laws' house. The last thing he saw was his wife and the tears she shed for him.

The last thing he said to her was, "I love you. All of you. Tell my sons that for me."

When he had next opened his eyes a few months had passed and he was back at the research facility. He was told that the device had been damaged and that was how they had been able to find his grave, the signal had been strong. His body had been so badly damaged that they had brought him to the doctors at their disposal. All that he knew was that his colony, his home, had been destroyed and his baby boy Gray was gone.

Overcome with sorrow he had allowed himself to fall into a deep depression. He snapped out of it when he realized that only Gray had been lost. His wife and firstborn were still alive. But he felt ashamed at his own weaknesses and felt that he would not be welcomed back into their lives after so long unless he could right the wrongs. His account was still active and had been increased during his frozen state. He had begun his study of time travel and concluded that he would go back and stop Gray being taken.

The problem with time travel was that it was too easy to foul it up. He devoted all of his time to finding a way to restore his family. He used up nearly all his resources in an attempt to go backwards only to miscalculate and go _forwards_. The Boeshane Peninsula had been a thriving colony whose citizens had pushed past tragedy and grief and made their world better. They had moved on despite the invasion several years previous.

Angered by this, Franklin had reset his ship's controls to try again. But he had exhausted the energy source that enabled his trek through time. The best source of energy came from the time vortex. By tapping into it he knew he would be able to return to his previous time.

But Franklin did not understand the vortex. In horror he was forced to watch as the untamed energy ripped through the planet core and the place of his birth was decimated.

He had failed.

It had torn him apart to know that his selfishness in life had taken his family from him. He had killed his wife and sons.

It had been fate when a year later he had seen a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes filled with sorrow. That single glimpse had sparked something deep within him. Through frantic research he had learned that the man was called Jack Harkness. More thorough research had shown him that Harkness was in fact his firstborn son. He then spent months learning the truth about his son.

His son had joined the Time Agency and become one of the top Agents before choosing to leave. He had lived as a conman for a time before disappearing into Earth's past. However there were many mentionings of Jack Harkness over the next several centuries. Franklin then realized that what humankind had searched for had been found.

Jack Harkness, his firstborn son, had found the secret to immortality.

And so Franklin began to plan how to get his family back and keep them forever.

~_~_~

_Michigan, USA. The house of Mr. And Mrs. Stavros Monroe._

Adeliyah smiled at the picture in her hand. It was of her cousin Jace when he had been just a young boy. The picture, her father had told her, was of the last happy event for a long time. It had been taken the day before everything had changed.

She had been just a baby when her mother and several others had been killed. Her mother's sister had lost her husband and one of her children. Adeliyah's father had taken her aunt and cousin Jace into their home and they had continued to live as best they could. When Adeliyah was ten, Jace left home to find an outlet for his anger (although his mother had said he was looking for adventure). He had come home often and as she grew older, her feelings had changed to that of a less than sisterly affection.

Jace had become very handsome. He looked so mature in his uniform and had made her heart flutter every time he spoke. He told her stories of the places he'd been and the people he'd met.

When she was sixteen she had been so happy. Jace was coming home for an extended vacation.

He hadn't made it and for that she was grateful.

Jace sent word that he had to delay his vacation because of trouble at work. Only minutes after hearing that, there was a terrible explosion.

Adeliyah had never seen her home again.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, she had made herself go on alone. A few years later she met Stavros. He was a few years older and not very handsome but he was hardworking and gentle. They married that fall and she was pregnant with her first child by Christmas. The pain of losing her family had not gone away but it had faded enough that she had been able to find a little bit of peace.

It was not until Jason, her last-born child, had found her mother's ring that she had begun to let go of the past.

That had been in June. In July she and Stavros had traveled to England for a vacation and that was when she had seen him.

Jace had still been handsome. He was standing on a bridge that overlooked the sea. It was warm out yet he had worn a heavy blue coat.

He had seen her and stared as if he was unsure of her identity. They had spoken quietly but she hadn't found it in herself to tell him that his mother was dead. He accepted the lies she told him as truth and told her that he was not someone she should be around anymore.

_"I'm no longer who I was before."_

_"You're still you, Jace."_

_"No, Adeliyah, I'm not."_

His eyes, so much older than his face, had looked straight through to her soul.

_"Live your life to the fullest. Make the most of what you have. You might not have it later."_

He had then turned and walked out of her life.

Now, many years had come and gone but she had done as he told her. She had put everything behind her and had only looked forward.

Adeliyah smiled and placed the picture back into the album. It was only luck that she had these pieces of visual memory to look at. She rarely took them out, hadn't since seeing Jace that one time.

It was only because of Jason, her baby, that she took them out now.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Cardiff._

Jack sighed as he looked at the latest readout.

He would have to talk to Gwen about his decision to postpone the trip to Bluemont. She would not be happy but would accept it. They had far too much to do here.

If John's theory was correct then Cardiff was the best place for them to be when the Rifts joined together. He would have the team find out everything they could about the other Rifts and try to find anything that might help them stop the Rifts. Bluemont was just one part of the mess. What Monroe did was no concern of his.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

"Kahl! Look!"

"What is it?"

"Monroe has kids."

"So what?"

Suzie scowled at him. She was tired and nauseous; she didn't need the attitude.

"So it's not just Monroe, Ianto and Jack… If Mr. Franklin finds out about these kids, they'll be in danger too."

"Look, we've got enough to worry about than a few 21st brats."

"Kahl, I helped make this mess," she said. He looked up at her. "I helped him gain a foothold in the past. I might as well have killed Owen and Toshiko and hurt Ianto myself. I'm not going to just stand by when I can--"

He took hold of her hand.

"Okay. Okay already." He sighed and squeezed her hand. These last few days she'd been so emotional, not to mention her appetite had gone down. The stress must have been finally getting to her.

"We'll do what we can but I doubt that we'll be able to keep everyone from danger. The important thing is to prevent any more alterations to the timeline."

"But what if he uses Monroe's children against him? You know, to force him to give Ianto up to Jack."

"Like I said, we'll do what we can. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture. If Mr. Franklin changes the past anymore, those kids will be better off dead."

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

Shantaye and Chris sat at their workstations. She was typing up a report while he was reformatting his hard drive. It was Sunday afternoon and they had popped in to the base before meeting the others in town.

"So, any new gossip?" Chris asked as he closed down his computer.

"Other than the fact that Sam and the girlfriend had yet another fight, no."

"Hmm."

He leaned back and frowned.

"Do you think Jason and Ianto will last? As a couple, that is," he hastened to add.

"Why? Interested?"

"Even if I weren't gay, I would have to be blind to not see how hot Ianto is."

"Good luck with that. I think he's smitten with our fearless leader."

"Can't blame him, myself. Get this; Shelly thinks that Jason's planning on proposing soon."

Shantaye's head shot up.

"What?"

"Yeah. She told me that she saw Jason studying Ianto's left hand, specifically the ring finger and he's been calling the various jewelry stores in the areas."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Well, she thinks that he's trying to figure out Ianto's ring size and scoping out possible wedding bands."

"Huh. Well, gotta say it-- Ianto's better for him than Kate."

Chris had to agree. They had all met Kate several times. The woman knew nothing about Torchwood but they all maintained normal lives outside of work. Unfortunately that meant events such as company picnics or Christmas parties. Whenever these happened, Kate seemed to hear about it and would show up.

"Ya know, I wonder how she'll handle it when she learns her sugar daddy is taking a trip down the aisle…"

"Do you think they would have a wedding?" Chris asked curiously. "Jason's 'been there, done that' and Ianto's pretty, well… He doesn't have any friends or family anymore."

"Dunno." Shantaye frowned now. "You know, he's not really that bad. Maybe we need to be the bigger persons and make the move to become friends. I mean, really, if Jason is proposing, Ianto will be around for a long time."

"That's true."

They were silent for a minute while they digested that.

"I wonder who would be the bride."

~_~_~

_Michigan._

It was a Sunday afternoon. Christine looked up from her homework.

She frowned and looked around the room in an attempt to find out what had distracted her. There was nothing. Oh well, it didn't matter.

She tried to put it out of her mind but she couldn't. There was something happening, she could feel it. Every time she thought about her father, she could feel it.

Something was coming, something big.

And it terrified her.

~_~_~

_Bluemont._

"I love you Ianto Jones. Marry me?"

Ianto stared up at his lover's face. He could not believe that Jason had just… Oh God…

"Jason? Did you just… propose?"

Jason tightened his grip on Ianto and closed his eyes.

"Not quite the reaction I was hoping for, but better than it could've been," Jason muttered.

"Yes."

The dark brown eyes opened and Jason looked into the bright blue eyes of his lover.

"What?"

"Yes."

"Yes what…?"

"Don't be so daft. Yes, Jason. I'll marry you."

They stared at each other for a moment and then Jason let out a laugh and he lifted Ianto into his arms. He carried his lover, _his fiancé_, to the bed and then proceeded to kiss him senseless.

"Jason! Lunch… the movies… the others will be--"

"They're big kids. They'll be fine."

Ianto laughed as the strong hands he loved worked the buttons on his shirt. As he raised his arms to pull Jason closer the light reflected off the ring. He smiled and kissed his lover.

He felt as if his life was finally becoming all that it was meant to be.

And he was so happy.

* * *

NOTES!!!!!! The interlude will be posted by NEXT SUNDAY. It's been split into 2 parts. The first part is plot-- the events that lead Jack to head for Bluemont. The second part is the various memories of our three boys, leading right to Jack and Jason seeing each other for the first time.

The pace is about to speed up. Hopefully I've managed to explain everything well enough that you can all understand as well as left enough clues that maybe someone will have figure out a little bit of the puzzle. There are clues to a lot here-- Jason's connection to Jack, Mr. F's plan, Suzie and Kahl's plan.

Plus, will Ianto marry Jason or will that dream be stolen from him as well?


	13. Interlude 1

Interlude 1: The Impossible is Possible

_January 17, 2015. Saturday afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont._

Ianto sat at his desk sorting through the weekly reports as he waited for the rest of the team to return. Next to the stack of ready-to-file papers was his coffee mug. The PC was switched on and a program installation was in process. The only sounds in the room were that of paper rustling and the soft hissing of the radiator in the corner.

The bright blue eyes closed for a moment and then reopened. Ianto's gaze fell onto the small calendar that hung on the wall. It had been a Christmas present from Christine and showed various scenic pictures of Wales. He smiled as he noticed the date.

Two months.

A little more than two months had passed since Jason had asked Ianto to marry him. They had celebrated the rest of the day in private and then tried to keep it a secret from the others the next day. Had Chris and Shantaye not joked that a proposal was imminent, it would have remained a secret for a little longer. As it was, both Ianto and Jason had blushed and Shelly (ever observant) had then noticed the ring. Ianto had become flustered and attempted to hide the gold and diamond braid but had instead found himself surrounded by all the women. Jason laughed and then shoved Sam after the other man had started moaning that this was the end of everything.

They had yet to even set a date, let alone plan the wedding. Neither had wanted to have an actual ceremony in a church. Instead they were going to exchange vows at Jason's parents' house in Michigan in front of the family and the Torchwood staff.

All they needed to do was set the date.

It seemed easy enough but Jason and Ianto worked for Torchwood. The week after the proposal the Bluemont Rift tripled in energy and aliens of all shapes and sizes began to find their way into the small town. The increase in activity had forced the entire team to put their personal lives on hold as they worked around the clock just to keep up. As a result, the happy couple was in no rush to plan their big day. There would be plenty time for that later.

Ianto looked up from Erin's report as the telephone on his desk rang. He set the report down and reached for the phone.

~_~_~

_A few minutes earlier. Torchwood Cardiff._

Jack sighed heavily as he looked at the readout on his monitor. Between the Rift and the government demanding answers he was completely exhausted. It didn't help either that he had Gwen harping on him about contacting Bluemont again. Honestly, the woman just couldn't let anything go. If he weren't so afraid of her right hook he would ask her just how much of her interest in the U.S. base was due to the gorgeous man in charge. But he wasn't stupid; Gwen might be small but she sure packed a punch.

He glanced at the screen and frowned. The Rift was increasing in activity to the point where Torchwood had suggested the government prepare for something big to happen. They wanted to know what was wrong but he couldn't give them an answer.

_Maybe I _should_ contact Monroe again_, he thought as he watched the numbers on the monitor change. Jack was not the sort of person to admit his weaknesses until they snuck up and bit him on the ass but this was beyond him. If the Doctor were still around then maybe he could ask him for help but he wasn't too keen on the new Doctor. No, Jack had to do this on his own. He couldn't just sit around and wait for help; he had to take the bull by the horns and solve this latest crisis.

"_You need to take a break, Jack. I know you say you don't need to sleep but you can at least lie down for a minute; rest your eyes. I'll make you a coffee."_

The voice most dear and most painful for him to think about now invaded his thoughts.

Ianto Jones.

He smiled ruefully at the memory. Ianto had always looked out for him. He had always made sure that the Captain didn't overdo it. The way Ianto had taken care of him had made Jack feel special. He only wished he hadn't taken the young man for granted, that he had showed his appreciation more.

_Back to work_, he told himself.

He sifted through the various scraps of paper that had taken up residence on his desk and in the drawers until he found the wrinkled, stained post-it with a phone number on it. He lifted the receiver of his desk phone to his ear and he dialed in the number Gwen had written down for him before he'd chosen to follow John's advice and stay in Cardiff.

The call rang through three times before he heard the telltale click of another receiver being lifted up.

"Hello. Jason Monroe's office. May I ask who's calling?

Jack froze.

That voice.

He knew that voice.

It was the first thing he heard when he opened his eyes in the morning and the only thing he heard when he closed his eyes at night. It was the voice that had replaced his subconscious and whispered words of encouragement to him throughout the day. The voice that had once spoken so softly, so tenderly to him, had taunted and teased him and had refused to let him forget. Memories of that voice ran through his head and he closed his eyes.

Ianto.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Jack opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Hello?"

"Ianto, what is it?"

It was Monroe. Jack's mouth snapped shut and his teeth clenched.

"Wrong number, I suppose. Want some coffee?"

Jack opened his mouth but before he could form the words he wanted to say, Ianto hung up the phone.

He lowered the receiver into his hand and stared at it.

That voice. Oh God that voice. But it couldn't be. He was dead. He had been dead for five years. But how many times had he heard that voice say those same words to him?

Jack closed his eyes and tried to think but all he could hear was _that_ voice. That soft Welsh accent caressed his ears and wrapped itself around the inside of his head.

_"Like a butler, I could be a butler!"_

_"Haven't you ever loved anyone, Jack?"_

_"That's ten minutes and counting."_

_"I blame it on magic mushrooms."_

_"He cheats. He always cheats."_

_"I'm just a blip in time for you."_

_Oh no, Ianto, you're not. You've never been. _Captain Jack Harkness clenched his fists tightly. If Ianto Jones was alive and at Torchwood Bluemont, then he was going to find him and bring him home. Bring him back to where he belonged.

_Jack!_

He looked up at the sound of Tosh's voice.

_Haven't you ever wondered why you hear _us_ but not _him_?_

It took only a moment for her words to sink in. Owen and Tosh's voices he heard often, speaking to him as if they where in the same room as he. Everytime he needed medical or technical advice they would whisper to him what he needed to do. They looked out for him from the darkness. But ianto-- The only way he heard ianto's voice was as the little voice inside his head or in his memories.

He made a decision.

"Gwen!" he shouted as he dropped the phone and rose.

"What is it, Jack?" Gwen asked as he ran out of his office.

"We need to get to Bluemont _now_."

_Hang on, Ianto. I'm coming. _

~_~_~

_January 18, 2015. Sunday morning. Bluemont. Apartment above the grocer._

Jason was like a teddy bear, Ianto decided as he snuggled closer to his lover. A big, warm, muscled teddy bear. After the weird phone call yesterday there had been a string of Weevil sightings that had resulted in a lot of leg and paperwork. The entire team had been called in to help and after several hours Jason had sent them all home.

Now that it was morning they made the mutual decision to take their time getting out of bed. Jason had told the team to not go in to work until noon. They were determined to make the most of it, to be honest.

Of course, their plan to sleep in guaranteed that something would happen, like a ring tone from a television show blasting through the quiet room as they cuddled.

"Jason, your mobile's ringing."

"Umh."

"Jason…"

"Damn, stupid, cotton-pickin' phone."

"And you say that I talk funny."

"Shut up." Jason leaned over the bed and searched for his phone.

"Want coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Ianto climbed out of bed and walked, naked, to the kitchen. The phone forgotten, Jason watched him for a moment. He certainly appreciated the view. Shaking his head he located his phone and answered it.

"Rift activity," Sam said in response to the grumbled greeting.

"Go figure. We'll be there in a few."

"No rush. Bobby says it's just another piece of technology. No life signs or signs of weapons."

"Then we'll see you in forty-five."

Jason flipped his cell phone shut and climbed out of bed. He stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower, which turned into a long one when Ianto joined him. As a result Ianto had to brew another pot of coffee as the first was scorched from over brewing but neither of them complained. They watched the morning news as they ate and then got dressed for work.

"I love it when you wear that purple shirt," Jason commented as he watched his fiancé (he _loved_ that word) pull on his suit.

Ianto looked up and studied his reflection. "Really?"

"Yeah, it looks good on you. Plus it makes your eyes look a little bit purple and stormy. Sexy."

"Jack always said that red was my color so I never really gave it a second thought. Hmm."

Jason clenched his hands and forced a smile onto his face. He would always have to deal with Ianto's feelings for Harkness. It wasn't like he was not up to the challenge.

"Well, I'm not Jack, remember? You look good in red too, but I like you better in purple."

Ianto thought about that for a moment. "Then can I borrow your purple tee-shirt tonight?"

"What for?"

"To wear to bed. What else?"

Oh, that little smirk on his face was far too sexy, Jason scowled. Then he pictured Ianto in bed wearing _only_ the purple tee shirt. It was just long enough to almost cover Ianto's ass. Almost.

"Sure you can wear it. But you won't get much sleep."

"Good." Ianto flashed him a smile and turned to put on his tie.

~_~_~

_Several hours earlier._

"So let me get this straight," Gwen said slowly. "You think Ianto's alive simply because you heard some bloke mention coffee through the phone connection? Jack, be serious!"

"I am Gwen. Look," he said as he fidgeted behind his desk. "I heard Ianto offer me coffee so many times that it's ingrained in my mind. Like a tattoo. I _heard_ him offer coffee to Monroe."

"I know you miss him, I do too, but Jack, Ianto's dead." She hated to be so blunt and cruel but he really needed to move on. "We both identified his body and we were both at the funeral."

"He's alive. He's at Bluemont."

"All right, let's say he is. Why, is he there? Hmm? And why weren't we told he was still alive?"

"I don't know," Jack confessed. "But I'm going to find out."

Gwen glanced at him in concern. "Jack, if you are right and Ianto's alive then you might have to face facts."

"What facts?"

She took a deep breath. "That he doesn't want to be here."

"Are you saying that he lied when he told me he loved me?"

The pain was clear in his voice. He had many regrets but not confessing his feelings for his lover was at the top of the list. This was followed immediately by his personal betrayal of Steven and Alice.

"No, I'm sure he did. I know you helped piece him back together after his world fell apart." She spoke in a cautious tone, not wanting to contribute to a possible breakdown.

"I don't get what that has to do with—"

"Jack, you're _immortal_."

"So? Tell me something I _don't_ know."

Gwen blew air out from between her clenched teeth in frustration. He never seemed to understand how the people he cared about felt in regards to his inability to die.

"Ianto… He was always worried that you would leave him for someone else."

"Why would he think that?" Sure, he'd been a flirt but surely Ianto hadn't actually believed that Jack was having affairs with other people? He had only even thought of straying a couple of times but all that had changed after Gwen's wedding. Jack had worked hard to solidify his relationship with the younger man.

"Jack, look at yourself in the mirror sometime. You look the same now as you did a hundred years ago. You're going to look the same for at least another hundred years. The rest of us age. The other day I looked through a photo album and wished that I looked as young as I had when I got married. That was six years ago almost."

"Point being?"

"Ianto would have gotten older. He would have gotten wrinkles, gray hair. Eventually he would have gotten too old to engage in shenanigans with you."

"And you think I would have left him?" He felt insulted that she thought so little of him. Did he really come across as so shallow?

"Would you?" she whispered.

"No." He closed his eyes. Memories pierced through the fragile wall he'd erected around his heart and it took everything he had to not collapse.

"The moment I met him, in a field while chasing a Weevil, I knew he was special. It's why I refused to hire him and then caved. I tried to stay detached so I wouldn't get hurt. But the truth is, I fell in love with him that first night. I was jealous of his memories of Lisa and to be honest, I was more upset that he was still in love with her than the fact that there was a Cyberman in the Hub. I tried to ignore how I felt but I think it was inevitable that I would fall for him."

Gwen chewed at her lip. "Remember the first time you came back? You said you came back for him and tried to cover it up."

"It was always for him." Jack's eyes rested on a picture of Alice and Steven that sat on his desk. "He once asked if I could still get pregnant. I told him that it would be difficult but I could. For Ianto, I would. If he wants children, I'll see to it that it happens."

"Now that would have been interesting! A pregnant Jack Harkness!"

"If he wants children, I won't deny him."

Gwen's smile faded as she listened to Jack's wording.

"Jack, you have to be prepared to accept that you could be wrong. It could be a trick. It might not be Ianto."

"I know. But I also know that I'm right." Jack straightened up in his seat. "I'm going to see him again. I'm going to find out why he was taken from me and who's responsible for this. And then I'm going to make them pay."

Gwen reached out and touched his arm.

"If you're right, I'll be right there with you."

~_~_~

John sauntered into the tourist office that morning with a take-out tray of coffee. These last couple of months had been hard for him as he was so unused to staying in one pace for so long. He was not an official member of the team but he had made himself as invaluable as possible. Even if he was just the general support.

"Good morning, Miss Lois!" he singsonged as he set the coffee on the counter.

"Good morning Captain." Lois smiled at him from over her monitor. "You're in a good mood," she observed.

"Well, how could I be anything but when I get to see your lovely face?" John took her cup and placed it before her. "Better get these down to the others. If Jack doesn't get his morning java he gets cranky."

"You better hurry. I think they're about ready to leave."

"Leave?"

"Didn't you hear? Jack thinks that Ianto Jones is alive and at Torchwood Bluemont."

"What?"

Oh no. Not good. Not good at all.

"They found out yesterday. They've been up all— hey!"

He hurried through the secret door and ran as fast as he could. This was not good. If they'd found out about Ianto being alive then Goddess help them all…

"Jack! Gwen!" he shouted as he tumbled through the door that led into the Hub proper.

"John, you're just in time."

He froze as he heard Jack's voice.

Jack stood in his great coat and a fierce expression on his face. To his left stood Gwen, her coat buttoned and a small suitcase in her hand. She looked at him in annoyance.

"I… hear you're taking a trip."

"Yes," Jack said smoothly.

"To Torchwood Bluemont," Gwen added as she took hold of Jack's arm.

"Why?"

"I think I should be asking you that."

John's eyebrows shot up. "Pardon?"

Dark blue eyes locked onto his trembling form.

"You told me to stay here, to not go to Bluemont. You knew he was there. You knew that Ianto was alive all this time."

"Just the last couple of months…" Oops.

He saw Jack's jaw clench and prayed that Jack would kill him quickly. The immortal knew hundreds of ways to keep a person on the brink of death and in large amounts of pain for days. He could even drag it out long enough for his victims to believe that it would soon be over before they realized that they were about to die.

"Why did you keep it from me? You know what he meant, what he means to me."

Jack's voice was so soft that at first he believed that the immortal man was about to cry. But this was Jack Harkness. Jack had been one of the top Time Agents. After that arrogant fool Kahl had been sentenced to life in prison Jack had become the most popular and in demand Agent. His powers of persuasion, or interrogation, were beyond anything anyone had ever seen.

_Best come clean then._ Maybe, if they were all lucky, Jack would decide that it was better for Ianto if he stayed away and let him live his new life.

"Okay, you're right," John began. "I was on Earth just checking out the sights and I ended up running into Ianto in Bluemont. Needless to say, he wasn't very happy to see me. He and I eventually talked at length and came to an understanding. He asked me to not tell you he was alive and then I came here."

"You really expect me to believe that he would not want me to come find him?"

"It's not that. He still has feelings for you. Hell, he asked me to watch over you since we all know how reckless you can be." John looked away. How to keep Jack from going…

"Jack, he still cares about you but he has a new life. Leave him alone and let him live it."

He hadn't wanted to mention Sunshine. Who knew how Jack would react?

"There's someone else, isn't there?"

Inwardly he cursed. He'd forgotten about Gwen.

He raised his eyes to hers' and sighed.

"Yes. He's involved with someone else. They seem quite happy."

"Who?"

"Really Jack, not your--"

"WHO?"

John swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Jason Monroe. Head of Torchwood Bluemont."

Jack's eyes darkened to almost black.

"Get in my way," he hissed at his former partner. "And you will live to regret it."

John was caught off guard as Jack threw a small cylinder at him. It hit John's chest and he gasped as the containment shield wrapped around him.

"That will hold you long enough for us to get to Bluemont. In case you're wondering," Jack said casually. "My wrist strap is now fully functioning and capable of transporting us to Bluemont. I'm sure you'll try to stop us but we'll be there before you get free of that. And don't bother calling for Lois. She's already heading home."

John watched in dismay as Gwen waved cheerily at him and they vanished in a swirl of light.

"Shit."

He reached down and flipped open his own wrist strap and fumbled with the buttons. It took less than a minute to deactivate the shield but he was a minute too late. Jack and Gwen might already have found Ianto. His fingers flew over the controls and he set the coordinates for the Bluemont base parking lot.

He too vanished.

~_~_~


	14. Interlude 2

BRIEF INTERUPTION!!!! Okay, just to (hopefully) avoid confusion, when Ianto is remembering it's in the First Person POV. When it's Jack or Jason remembering it's in the Third Person POV.

Interlude 2: Cascading Memories

_January 18, 2015. Sunday afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont._

Ianto sat behind his desk with a cup of coffee and a report that needed to be filled out. Instead of working he was writing in his diary.

He had laid down for a nap earlier and had dreamed a strange dream. He decided it was important enough to write about it in hopes that some sort of answer would be found.

~_~_~

_**It was raining. It was raining and I was late. Second week on the job and I was late. I ran to the bus stop and got there just in time. Hopefully I would get to Torchwood in time. But I wasn't really counting on it.**_

_**I was off the bus before the doors had even fully opened. I raced down the block towards the Torchwood Tower and shoved the large glass doors open. I swiped my security card and pushed my way through the inner doors to get inside the lobby. I ran to the door marked **_**'stairs'**_** and ran at full speed to the fifth floor. **_

_**"Just in time, mate!" Charlie said. **_

_**"Barely! I overslept and thought I was done for!" I said as I hung my wet trench coat up.**_

_**"Ha! Doesn't matter anyway. Hartman had all the heads meet in the third floor boardroom as soon as they got in today. We're on our own here."**_

_**"Oh good! Then no one will notice if I go grab a coffee."**_

~_~_~

Ianto frowned. In the dream he had worked in the artefacts room but in reality he had never even been allowed on the fifth floor. That was strange. What was even stranger was that there was so much detail in the dream.

~_~_~

_**I carefully measured grinds and water and then stood there watching as the beverage brewed. I loved coffee. I drank so much of it that my friends joked that if they cut me open the dark roasted brew would trickle out in place of blood.**_

_**I poured coffee into two paper cups and picked them up. I didn't bother with lids as I was just going back down the hall. Hardly anyone but those stationed on the fifth floor ever came up here so there was little chance of running into anyone. **_

_**However fate had decided to intervene.**_

~_~_~

Jack and Gwen had materialized a few blocks from the base. They stood on the street corner and took in everything. It was a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood. The perfect place for a hidden base of alien hunters.

While Gwen thought of their next move, Jack lost himself in his memories.

~_~_~

**It had been raining only a few hours before they had met. The ground was still a little bit damp as first one then the other found themselves rolling on the ground with a Weevil.**

**"Captain Jack Harkness. And you are…?"**

**"Jones. Ianto Jones."**

**They were all ready falling for each other.**

**Jack knew how dangerous his life could be and he was afraid of what would happen to the young man should he let him in it. So he brushed him aside. The next morning he tasted the first of so many exquisite coffees and prayed that he could maintain his air of indifference. The next evening, a rainy Tuesday, he let himself forget his concerns as he followed Ianto to the warehouse. As they rolled on the floor he found himself feeling freer than he had felt since he first came back to life. Looking into those bright blue eyes he found himself falling.**

**"I should go."**

_**Stay! I want you to stay!**_

**And so he gave Ianto what he wanted. He asked him to join Torchwood III.**

~_~_~

"Jack? You okay?"

"Yeah." He shook away the depressing thought that if he had been firm in his resolve to not hire Ianto, his lover would never had been killed.

"Let's go, Gwen. According to the map, the base is that way."

~_~_~

My body tensed as I became aware of the intense gaze that was locked onto me and slowly looked up to face one of the most striking men I had ever seen.

_**Tall, over six feet, with a toned body, short black hair, dark brown eyes, straight nose, high cheek bones, square jaw -- tall, dark and handsome. Quite the complete package. It was not easy for me to control myself. I felt a surge of heat through my body that nearly overwhelmed me. I had to force himself to breathe in slow, even breaths and focus on getting my heart rate back to normal (Thu-thump thu-thump). **_

_**The man stretched out his hand in greeting. The hand was large, strong and had a firm grip. **_

_**"No problem. I'm Jason Monroe." **_

_**Monroe's voice was rich and deep; shivers trickled down my spine at the sound. I had to regain control of my or else I would go mad. I had never been attracted to a man before but at that moment I was finding it difficult to focus on anything but that perfect face.**_

_**I parted my lips and spoke.**_

_**"Jones. Ianto Jones."**_

~_~_~

Ianto closed his eyes in recollection of his dream self's first meeting of the man who had crept into his heart. It was not as dramatic as his first time meeting Jack but it seemed just as real.

He could remember what Jason had been wearing and the tilt of his head as he had smiled down at him. He could remember offering to pay the dry cleaning bill and then fixing a fresh cup for the older man.

He could remember every single detail as if it had just happened.

_But I didn't know Jason until I came here._

What was his dream trying to tell him?

Too much too soon. That had to be it. There was so much going on that his mind was overloaded and was compensating by taking over his dreams. Yes, that was it.

_Are you sure?_

He looked up and frowned.

_Come on Tea Boy. You're smarter than that!_

Owen. The bastard antagonized him in life and now in death. But he found that hearing the voice of a dead colleague didn't bother him nearly as much as it should have. That alone did bother him. What did it mean? It was almost as if they were watching over him from the darkness.

"Want to go grab a bite?" Jason asked as he stepped through the door.

Ianto closed his diary and put the dream aside in favor of life.

~_~_~

_**"He thought we were together. Like a couple. He said 'you two' like, ahhe, 'you two!'"**_

_**"But we are." He gave a pointed look to his lover. "Does it matter?"**_

_**Oh, it had mattered, at least to Ianto. He had seen the hurt flash in those eyes then and again back at the Hub.**_

_**"Even she's calling us a couple now."**_

_**"I hate the word 'couple'."**_

_**"Me too." His voice had been so soft, so hurt and Jack had stiffened and pretended not to hear.**_

_**He remembered kissing Ianto desperately as he forced him onto the platform that night. He wanted to tell him how much he cared but there wasn't time.**_

_**"I'll come back," he promised as the lift began to rise. Ianto had looked at him with sorrow and pain on his face.**_

_**"I always do." But would he? Even he hadn't been for certain. He had never been blown up and the Doctor had admitted to him at one point that Jack was a new thing, an anomaly. Who knew if he was even truly immortal?**_

_**Ianto had taken hold of Jack's hand in the car and refused to let go as they sped away towards safety. Jack had carefully pulled Ianto closer to him. Ianto was trembling as he smiled a shaky smile at him.**_

_**"I'm okay," Jack said.**_

_**"Yeah. You came back. I just wish it hadn't been so painful. For you."**_

_**"What do you mean?"**_

_**"I could hear you. Screaming." His voice had stayed soft so as not to alarm Gwen or Rhys in the front seat. Ianto had laid his head against Jack's bare shoulder and had fallen silent until Gwen asked where they were going.**_

~_~_~

As they walked down the street, Jack tried to banish his memories of that week from his mind. It would not do to have tears flowing down his face when he charged in to rescue his lover.

But the most painful memories were always the hardest to forget.

~_~_~

_**Jack and Ianto had had many arguments during their time together. Their last argument stood out in Jack's mind because it had been done with softer tones, no yelling or cursing involved. It was as if they had known that it was the last argument they would have.**_

_**"I've only just scraped the surface haven't I?"**_

_**"Ianto, that's all there is."**_

_**"No." Such sad eyes. "You pretend that's all there is."**_

He had been right but Jack had also been very afraid. He kept certain things to himself, like his family and his immortality, because he knew that they were things that could be used against him. In truth, the reason he wouldn't acknowledge them as a 'couple' wasn't due to a loathing of the word. Most enemies wouldn't take a sex buddy hostage but they would take a lover. A partner. That was what Ianto had become to him. He was terrified that someone would realize that Ianto was more than just a shag and warm body. He was terrified beyond all reason that someone who wanted to hurt him would kidnap Ianto and use him as a tool against Jack. And so he avoided the issue whenever possible.

_**He even tried to convey that to Ianto by telling him that Alice and Steven had been taken hostage. He had seen the worry, the fear on his lover's face but he had forced himself to turn away. It wasn't just about keeping Ianto at arms' length anymore. He had to protect his own family as well.**_

~_~_~

Miranda was walking from the supply closet to her desk when the phone in Jason's office rang. There were only herself, Jenny and Dan in at the moment. All three were busy trying to get caught up on work and Miranda was working on less than three hours' sleep.

She went into the office and lifted the phone to her ear.

"Torchwood."

"I need to speak to Jason Monroe," a woman said.

"He's not here yet. Can I take a message?" She reached for the notepad on Jason's desk.

"When will he be in?"

"Probably another half an hour. He and Ianto went to have lunch." Pen, she needed a pen.

"Ianto?"

"Second in Command, Ianto Jones." She found a pen and lifted it. "May I ask who's calling?"

Click.

She frowned and set the phone back on its cradle. Probably a cop or government worker. They often had to deal with the police and government so it was never a surprise to get phone calls from them. She wasn't used to being hung up on though. Probably a bad connection or something. She shrugged and went back to her own work. She was two days late on a report and Ianto was a stickler for getting things done on time.

By the time she was sitting at her desk the phone call had left her mind.

~_~_~

Gwen placed her mobile back in his pocket. She glanced at Jack who had managed to keep quiet during the brief exchange.

"Okay, I believe you now. I mean, how many Ianto's could there be working for the Institute?"

"And in a short while, he'll be back home with us."

"Yes," she said with a determined look on her face. Her green eyes darkened as she thought of the various ways to make the bastards suffer. No one took away her loved ones and got away with it.

~_~_~

Jason parked the car and turned off the ignition. He and Ianto got out of the car and started for the research center entrance.

"Eye Candy! Sunshine!"

"Ianto, no!"

Jason curled his fingers around Ianto's bicep and held him fast. He could completely understand where Ianto was coming from as far as John Hart was concerned. Hell, if Tyler ever showed up he wouldn't let the backstabbing bastard get within a hundred feet of Ianto. But he was also not going to have a reenactment of Hart's last visit.

"What do you want?" Jason demanded as he steered Ianto as far from Hart as possible.

"Ianto…" John looked at the other man. "I am so sorry."

"For what?"

Jason looked at Ianto now.

"Eye Candy, what is it?"

Ianto had tensed, his body tight and rigid. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he felt a shiver trickle slowly down his spine. His heart began to pound out a familiar rhythm (Thuthu-thump, thuthu-thump) and his nostrils flared as an _achingly_ familiar scent reached him.

_51st centuries pheromones. You people have _no_ idea…_

Jason could feel his heart breaking as his lover turned.

~_~_~

_**Ianto had curled up beside him that night despite being angry and hurt because of Jack. No words had been said; Ianto had simply wrapped himself around his lover and fell into a fitful sleep. The next day they had gone to stand up to the 456.**_

_**"I'm sorry," Jack said as soon as he started the car.**_

_**Ianto hadn't said anything for several moments. Jack was worried that maybe that fight had hurt Ianto too much to forgive him. Then he felt Ianto's trembling hand curl tightly around his.**_

_**"Me too."**_

_**He was forgiven.**_

_**The lift seemed to move too fast. Jack looked at the man next to him. Was Ianto even afraid? Jack was. Jack was scared to death. He didn't know what he was facing. He had never met the 456 so he didn't know what they might do or what they were capable of.**_

_**Jack leaned over and pressed his lips hard against his lover's. Ianto's mouth opened to allow him access and his hands (still trembling) reached up to tangle in Jack's hair. Jack pulled Ianto as close as he could to him and slipped his tongue in. He was so afraid that this kiss would be their last so he memorized everything he could about Ianto. He had never kissed with both his and his partner's eyes open. It was as if Ianto were trying to memorize him too. His eyes were filled with only one emotion. Love. Ianto Jones wanted to make sure that Jack knew he loved him.**_

_**They broke the kiss and turned back to the lift doors, smoothing down their clothes.**_

_**If only they had known how quickly the end would come.**_

~_~_~

"_Ianto_!"

A man with dark brown hair, straight nose, mesmerizing blue eyes and a long blue-gray coat was walking towards them. The dark haired woman standing with her hands over her mouth didn't even register to any of them.

The man moved with swift, purposeful strides. Each step accompanied the feeling of having a new crack in the wall that guarded Jason's emotions as he watched the man walk towards them.

He couldn't even move as Ianto brushed past him and ran to the other man.

The man gathered Ianto into his arms and held him close.

"Ianto…" he breathed as he cradled the trembling body to him.

"Jack…. _Jack_…."

A single tear broke free. Jason felt his heart shatter.

And it began to rain.

~_~_~

**"Then I take it all back but NOT HIM!"**

_**Oh God, please not Ianto! I've lived a thousand lifetimes and will love many more but I can't take this.**_

**He knew that one day Ianto would die. Had always known. It was inevitable. But he had been determined that Ianto would die of old age surrounded by loved ones in their bed. No one who loved Jack got to experience that.**

**"It's all my fault."**

**"No it's not."**

_**Stop protecting me! All of it -- Lisa, Owen and Tosh, Gray and now you -- stop telling me that! It's because I'm me! I did it. I did this to you! I killed you! I loved you and now I've killed you!**_

**"I love you…" The words were soft and tear-filled. Ianto's resolve to remain brave and unafraid was crumbling.**

**"Don't," Jack breathed as he cradled Ianto close to him. **_**I'm not worth it. I've killed you, so how can you say that?**_** For the first time he regretted giving in and hiring Ianto. If he had refused then Ianto would not be dying. Ianto would be living a full life surrounded by loved ones. He wouldn't be breaking Jack's heart.**

**"Hey? It was… good, yeah?" Still trying to protect his immortal lover. To spare him from pain.**

**"Yeah…" Ianto was dying. He could feel it with each labored breath. Where was the Doctor? Why wasn't he here?**

**"Don't forget me…" **_**Oh, how could I? So many lives and only the one with you mattered. No one made me feel as alive, as mortal as you. Not Estelle, not John, not Gwen, not Lucia. Not even the Doctor. No one. Just you, Ianto Jones.**_

**"Never could." He tried to smile but tears were making their way free. He saw the doubt in Ianto's eyes. He remembered their conversation in the hospital not so long ago. No, Ianto would never, NEVER be a blip in time for Captain Jack Harkness. When all life had ceased to exist and there was only Jack, in some form or another, he would still remember Ianto. He knew that. Somehow, he knew that he would never be able to forget Ianto Jones.**

**Because he loved him. He loved him enough to want to make him immortal. He loved him enough to want to die with him and never wake up. The darkness wouldn't frighten him if he were with Ianto. Ianto, who had held him each time he died. Ianto, who had forgiven him so quickly, though painfully, for Lisa's death. Ianto, who had assured him that Jasmine had wanted to go with the faeries and who had arranged Estelle's funeral. Ianto, who had been willing to let him go to Gwen. Ianto, who had staked his claim on Jack at the wedding.**

**It was always going to be **_**Ianto**_**. No other lover, no matter how dear, would ever compare to Ianto. No other lover would be able to take Ianto's place in his heart.**

**"In a thousand years' time… you won't remember me…"**

**The life in those eyes, eyes that had sparkled so many times, was fading. And Ianto was still unsure if he had meant anything to the one he loved.**

**"Yes I will, I promise." **_**I can't forget you. You, who I wasn't even supposed to meet. You, a man from the 21st century, who stole my heart so completely. Oh, Ianto, there will never be anyone else like you. Not for me. No one will be able to compare. You loved me even though I was a monster. With you I was happy, truly happy.**_

**Ianto looked at him as his heart stopped. His eyes drifted closed as Jack whispered for him to "Don't leave me, Ianto, **_**please." I need you. Please stay with me. You made it bearable. How can I go on without you? We were supposed to be together for years. I was going to tease you about gray hairs and wrinkles. I wanted us to be together. I would have gladly bore your children if you wanted. And I know that you did…**_

**He pressed his lips to Ianto's one last time, grateful that they had kissed in the lift, as those lips he knew so well were all ready growing cold.**

**He felt his body sag and he lay himself down next to Ianto, pulling the still warm body towards him. It wasn't close enough.**

**"I love you," he whispered to the back of Ianto's head. Why hadn't he said it back? He stared at the dark hair, wishing in vain that when he awoke this would all have been a bad dream. He felt his own eyes close and knew that it was not.**

**When he awoke it was with the softest of sounds. He pulled Gwen close as he looked at Ianto, skin gray and eyes closed. Nothing else mattered anymore. He couldn't even think about Alice and Steven. So what if the 456 took the children? What did it matter? Ianto was **_**dead**_**. **

**His heart was broken. **_**He**_** was broken.**

**Captain Jack Harkness had lost the only reason he had to stay sane.**

**There was nothing else. **_**Nothing**_**.**

~_~_~

Jason could do nothing, say nothing, think nothing as he watched Jack Harkness pull Ianto to him. He watched as Ianto clutched at his immortal lover desperately.

And memories lost long ago rushed to the surface of Jason's mind.

~_~_~

_Jason scowled as someone collided with him and he felt scalding hot coffee slosh against his bare skin. Shit, it burned._

_"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going and I…"_

_He took in the fair skin and the dark wavy hair. It was hard remembering to breathe. Sharp, bright eyes pierced right through him. The face was exquisite; he could stare at this fine-featured face forever. A high forehead, slight upturned nose and thin lips adorned the slightly rounded face. There were slight circles just beneath the dark blue eyes and the cheekbones were just high enough to make him wonder how old the young man was. He had to be at least twenty-one to work at Torchwood. Yvonne Hartman was firm about the requirements needed for hire._

_He tried not to laugh as he looked at the younger man. He could easily see how flustered the other man was and had to smile. It wasn't as if the boy had intentionally tried to run him over, after all._

_He stretched out his hand in greeting. The hand that met his was soft and warm. He cleared his throat and spoke clearly, confident in his ability to impress._

_"No problem. I'm Jason Monroe."_

_The young man's lips parted, letting out a voice that bore a soft lilting accent._

_"Jones. Ianto Jones."_

~_~_~

It had been so like their initial meeting here at Bluemont. Only the confidence in the soft Welsh voice had not been real. Their first real meeting had led to so much. The passion and the hesitancy of a new love.

He closed his eyes as he recalled their first kiss.

Ianto's lips were soft and hesitant in their movement. It was obvious that he had never been with a man before. In fact he had told Jason how he'd never even been attracted to men before the day a couple weeks back when they had first met.

That was what made this first kiss so magical. It was theirs' alone.

~_~_~

_"Does it bother you that I'm so much younger than you?" Ianto asked worriedly as they watched the news in his flat. "I mean, I'm only twenty-one. I'm barely old enough to work at Torchwood let alone--"_

_"You're smarter and more mature than most people twice your age. What about you? Are you okay with this? Your parents won't freak out at you being involved with a man, especially one as old as me?"_

_"You're only thirty-six," Ianto protested. "That's not so old!" He blushed. _

~_~_~

The memories began to tumble onto one another as he tried to make sense of it all.

~_~_~

_They made love for the first time in Jason's small flat on the floor next to the couch. They had aimed for the bed but hadn't been about to make it that far. Their desire and lust had overridden every bit of common sense they both had._

_It was as clumsy and awkward as their first kiss. It was also just as magical. They had explored each other's bodies. First they had used their eyes, then their hands and mouths. After a bit they couldn't take the torture anymore and Jason had rolled Ianto onto his back. He had taken him as gently as possible and it was fantastic._

_Ianto's body was all sharp planes and angles and the kind of ass that simply begged for Jason's hands to grab hold and squeeze. And squeeze he had if the handprint on the left buttock was any indication. Kate had been quiet and restrained when they were together. Ianto had been very vocal and had kept his hands moving in a desperate dance for more, more, MORE._

_It had been the perfect first time with the perfect partner._

_Jason had slept with people before he met Kate but he didn't feel that his adolescent dalliances counted as a good basis for comparison. Ianto had been a virgin when he walked in the door tonight. The thing that made it so perfect was that he had an abundance of enthusiasm. It more than made up for the lack of experience._

_They had been together for just over a month now. They were slowly finding their footing in their growing relationship. Jason was seriously considering requesting a transfer for either Ianto or himself, as he didn't want this to end._

_He was in heaven._

~_~_~

_Their first big argument was over what to watch on the telly. It was so stupid and childish. It got so bad that Jason walked out of Ianto's flat and Ianto slammed the door after him._

_Two hours later Jason stood outside the door with a box of fresh doughnuts and Ianto let him back in. Two hours later they were still making up._

_After all, it was really stupid to fight over what television program to watch._

_So stupid._

~_~_~

_They went camping for their six-month anniversary. Ianto wasn't a fan of the outdoors but agreed to give it a go so long as Jason would take him to see "Cats" next month. They toasted marshmallows over the fire, swam in the lake and made love in the tent. It was dirty and there were so many bugs but by the end of the weekend Ianto agreed to do it again sometime._

_The following week, on Thursday, Jason made a homemade cake and frosting. The words 'Happy Birthday' were written in purple frosting and they fed each other bites as they lay in Ianto's bed. _

_"So how does it feel to be so old?" Jason teased as Ianto nibbled a bite of cake._

_"Git!" Ianto swatted at him and rolled into a sitting position._

_"Just think, yesterday I was cradle robbing but now!"_

_"Oy! Behave or else!"_

_"Or else what?"_

_Ianto waggled his eyebrows at him._

_"Or else I'll get the leftover frosting and have you for dessert."_

_"Promises, promises."_

~_~_~

This was it. Jason's world was coming to an end. A single tear broke free. It slowly ran down his face as he felt his heart shatter.

Captain Jack Harkness kissed Ianto.

~_~_~

_Ianto wanted to help but was useless in the kitchen. Jason had him stay busy by organizing the pantry._

_It was Thanksgiving time in the States so Jason and Ianto were celebrating it as a couple. Holiday music drifted from the telly while the turkey was cooking and the scent of fresh baked pumpkin pies filled the air._

_"You do this every year?" Ianto asked as he came into the kitchen and watched Jason baste the bird._

_"Until I got divorced I made the holiday dinner for my wife and kids. The last two years they went to visit Kate's parents before getting dropped off at my parents' house for their second dinner. This is the first Thanksgiving since I met Kate that I haven't spent with my family at all."_

_"So you got lonesome, huh?"_

_"Well, actually, I wanted to share a piece of my life with you." Jason smiled and pulled Ianto in for a kiss. _

_"How much longer 'til that turkey's done?" Ianto asked shyly as he plucked at Jason's buttons._

~_~_~

Jason recalled their first Christmas. It had been just this past December. His parents, siblings and various other family members had been delighted to meet Ianto.

No… there was another Christmas. A darker holiday tinged with sorrow.

~_~_~

_Christmastime. The tree should have been up. Snow covered the ground and snowmen were popping up all over. Gifts were purchased and parties were thrown. The air was alive with the sounds of merry people and carols._

_At least for some people. But not for Jason or Ianto._

_Like a piece of mistletoe, Jason was hung from a ceiling. He wasn't there for decoration but he was rather festive looking, what with the bright red blood that ran down his back and chest from open wounds. His green shirt had been ripped to shreds by the spiked whip. Ianto was cuffed to a chair and was crying._

_"Please… Please stop. Please…"_

_Jason could handle the pain. He could handle the humiliation at being caught so easily. He could handle the fact that he was probably going to die soon._

_He couldn't handle Ianto's tears._

_"Please, let him go!"_

_"Why should I?" Cruel hands caressed Ianto's tear-streaked face._

_"I love him…" Ianto's voice trembled as he stared at his lover's battered body._

_"All the more reason to make him suffer. You have no need of him."_

_"Please… anything, I'll do anything!"_

_"No, Ianto…"_

_There was no telling what this monster would do to Ianto if he accepted that offer._

_"There is nothing to do," the man said calmly. "In time you will forget about him. He will become just a blip in time for you."_

_"He'll never be a blip in time. Not for me!" Ianto sobbed._

_"Oh, Ianto, Ianto!" The man knelt before him. He took a firm hold of his jaw. There was a dark purple bruise from where Ianto had tried to get free before. "There is someone so much better for you."_

_"I want Jason."_

_"So stubborn! Perhaps that's what he loves about you. I forgive you for causing him pain."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"My son, my eternal treasure. He loves you. You will learn to love him. You MUST love him. He suffers because of you."_

_"Do you think I could love someone else? When you torture my lover?"_

_"Ah! I'd almost forgotten the bastard that defiled your body. Don't worry, I will kill him soon enough."_

_  
"NO!"_

_"I can't have you making my son unhappy again."_

_"Make us forget!" Ianto said quickly, as if he had just thought of it. "It's the only way! You can make us forget each other and then let Jason go!"_

_"No!" Jason cried in shock._

_"You would do that? You would willingly forget this barbarian?"_

_"Yes. I would. Please," Ianto said. "I beg you. Erase us from each other's minds and let us go. Jason's supposed to go back to the U.S. soon so we won't even see each other. And you can lead me to your son. But I couldn't possibly love your son if I know that you've killed Jason."_

_"Ianto..." This was worse than the tears. Oh gods, but this was breaking Jason's heart. He would always know, even if he couldn't remember, that he was missing something, someone important. He would always be incomplete._

_"Jason, it's the only way to save you. I can't bear to see you hurt. Not because of me." Ianto looked up at him, fresh tears pouring down his reddened cheeks like rain._

_Their captor nodded his head. "Very Well." He raised his hand at his subordinates._

_Jason was lowered to the ground and cut free. He sagged forward, too many kinds of pain immobilizing him._

_"Let me say goodbye." Ianto's voice, his beautiful lilting voice, was soft and filled with sorrow._

_"What does it matter? You won't remember it?"_

We will_, Jason thought. _We always will. Erasing our memories is like erasing a computer's memory. It's still there, it's just difficult to find._ He looked up at his lover. So little time. They'd had so little time. They had just gotten to know each other._

_"Then say your goodbyes, if you must. By this time tomorrow you will never have met Jason Monroe."_

~_~_~

"I love you," Jack whispered as he lifted his mouth from his lover's. He pressed his forehead against Ianto's and looked into his blue eyes. "I love you."

Ianto smiled sadly up at him and caressed his cheek.

"I love you as well, my Captain."

Jack pulled Ianto close once more. As he wound his arms around Ianto he became aware of the others who were watching the reunion.

Gwen was crying, her smile not quite hidden behind her hands. John Hart was standing with his mouth hanging open. And the other man... Monroe. Jason Monroe.

Jack and Jason's eyes locked. Their eyes, blue and brown, held the same pain of loss and the fear of losing what they had found. Both of them loved Ianto too much to lose him.

Jack tightened his grip on Ianto.

Jason's fists clenched even tighter.

Neither was going to let him go.

Not again.

Not ever again.

Not without a fight.

_Bring it on._

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED.

~_~_~

OKAY! I'm going to do my best to write quickly. My friend works from home a lot so he's available to beta almost always so as long as work and life cooperate, I should be able to post AT LEAST two chapters a week. If I'm lucky, 3 or more. Fingers crossed, everyone?

Good!


	15. Chapter 12

* There is a short _almost_ sex scene towards the end. Nothing too graphic, but thought I'd leave a warning, just in case.

Chapter 12: Two Lovers of Mine Heart

_January 18, 2015. Sunday afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont._

The main part of the base had become like a boxing ring. Gwen Cooper-Williams and Captain John Hart stood on one end of the room while the Bluemont team stood on the other end. Ianto Jones stood in the center of the room with Captain Jack Harkness and Jason Monroe on either side of him.

Later Sam would comment on how much like a spectator he had felt as the two Torchwood leaders met face to face for the first time. The others would agree.

Ianto had felt like a harassed referee.

"So, you're Jason Monroe."

Jack's tone was even and cool. In fact he seemed almost casual. But after many months of careful observations of the immortal man, Ianto knew better. He knew his Captain and he knew that the immortal was pissed.

"And you're Captain Jack Harkness. What branch did you serve in?"

_Ooh, nice snide tone there._ Gwen had the distinct feeling that Monroe knew that Jack hadn't served in any branch of any military.

Jack's eyes sparkled in the way that they did before he would pull out his gun for the sole purpose of intimidation.

"Aahe! Does anyone want a coffee?" Ianto asked hurriedly, nervously. "Gwen! Three sugars and two creams, right?"

"Ye--"

"No thank you," came Jack's curt tone. "We're not staying long."

Ianto's eyebrows knit together in confusion. From the way that Jack had stormed in and kissed him, he had assumed that the older man had wanted to be with him again.

"You're not?" he asked in a hurt voice.

"Nope. Not long at all."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Jason remarked as he folded his arms, a menacing look on his face.

"My natural grace and bountiful balance will ensure that I don't." Jack locked his dark eyes onto the taller man. "How soon can you be packed, Ianto?"

"Packed?"

"I'd like to get back home to Cardiff. There's a lot of work to do after all."

"Home? To Cardiff?"

Ianto stared at Jack in shock. He could scarcely believe that Jack would expect him to just walk away from his life here. He had obviously missed something.

"Yes, home. With me."

"Not _fuckin'_ likely."

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. Everyone had followed the conversation with their ears, their eyes moving to the face of the speaker. Now they all as one whipped their heads to look at Jason's angry face.

"I would suggest you stay out of this, Monroe. You _don't_ want to make me mad."

Jack's tone was a warning. Only very, very brave or very, very stupid people heeded not that tone.

Jason was _not_ stupid.

"Oh I don't want to anger you, surely you realize that. But," Jason coldly said. "I am not going to let you swish your way into my base and take _my_ fiancé."

"Fiancé?"

Ianto winced, more at the look on Jack's face than the choked sound of his voice.

"Jason…" he began.

"Yes, Captain Harkness. _Fiancé_."

Ianto bit his lip as Jason grabbed hold of his left hand and raised it to Jack's face. The gold and diamond braid twinkled as the light hit it.

"See the ring? A family heirloom. Fits his finger _perfectly_."

Jack's jaw moved slowly side to side. He reached up and clasped the ring-adorned hand in his own. Ianto automatically curled his trembling fingers into a fist to prevent the older man from removing the ring. Since his next move (to dramatically fling the ring across the room before pulling Ianto to him and whisking him back to Cardiff) had been aborted, Jack moved his hand to gently (but firmly) wrap around the slender wrist.

Ianto suddenly had a vision. He could see Jason pulling him one way while Jack pulled him the other.

Coincidently, the others could also see the same thing. The image in all their heads ended with Ianto being pulled into two separate halves.

"Um, Jack?" Gwen began.

"Jason…" Jenny warned.

The two men in question clenched their hands tightly around Ianto's still trembling extremity.

"Let go, Monroe."

"Back off, Harkness."

"Jack, Jason…" Ianto started.

Ianto's body jerked and he could not suppress the painful whimper.

"You're hurting him."

"No, _you_ are."

"Jack!" Gwen snapped as Sam and John Hart both moved forward.

"Jason, stop it!" Miranda said at the same time.

POP.

The sound was deafening in the suddenly too quiet room.

"Ow…"

~_~_~

Jason and Jack stood anxiously watching as Dan strapped a brace onto Ianto's wrist. In their stupidity they had dislocated the wrist and had then been forced to back away by Sam and Hart.

And the women were all letting the two men have it.

"Really, Jason. How old are you?"

"Dammit Jack, you could have seriously hurt him!"

"Honestly you two acted like bullies!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he breaks up with both of you now!"

"That was _so_ mean!"

"Did you not even _think_ about how he feels?"

"Jealously is so not cool, ya know!"

"I can't believe you!"

Sam, who was made to act as a barricade to the medical bay, closed his eyes and tried to ignore the shrill tones of the women. He could understand their reaction; hell, he wanted to punch _both_ men for hurting someone they supposedly loved. It was the fact that in large groups the voices of women tended to get higher pitched as they became more emotional.

"WILL YOU _SHUT UP_?"

Everyone stared at Sam. He rubbed furiously at his temple. A headache brewed just behind his left eye.

"Thank you."

Ianto cautiously stepped out of the medical bay and raised his uninjured hand as his two lovers started towards him. They both froze midstep and held their breath.

"If you don't mind, until I don't have to fear that my body will be ripped in two, could you just not touch me?"

He wasn't scared, not really. Not of either of them purposely causing him harm, that is. What worried him was that because both men had a claim of sorts on him, if one of them got too close the other might attack. They could conceivably kill each other.

That would be very bad and very messy.

He recalled a soap opera his sister had enjoyed watching. Two of the characters had constantly fought to win the heroine and the girl had thrived on the attention.

If only that were the case here.

When Rhys had found out about Torchwood there had been a couple of overly dramatic arguments. The one that stood out most in Ianto's mind was the one between Gwen and Jack where the man had practically confessed his love for the engaged woman before both had stalked off to brood and try to move on. Ianto had only been able to get through that humiliation by fantasizing that HE was the one that had caused the intense rivalry between the two men.

It may have been most women's fantasy to have two attractive, strong men fight over them and they could _have it_. It was not all what it was chalked up to be.

All Ianto had wanted in life was a little bit of joy.

_Be careful what you wish for and all that rot_, he supposed.

He had wanted Jack to love him and only him. He had secretly longed for a happy ever after with the man.

He had fallen hopelessly in love with Jason. He had decided to ignore his desire to marry in favor of just being loved in return.

Now he had Jack's love _and_ he had an engagement ring that had belonged to Jason's mother.

Bloody hell.

"Ianto?"

"Yes Jack?"

"I am _so_ sorry."

"I know. I'm used to hearing those words from you."

Jack had apologized to him for many things. Lisa, the cannibals, running after the Doctor, running after the other glove, dying multiple times… The list went on and on. Until the Hub had been blown up Ianto had kept the ever-growing list in the Archives just to remind himself that Jack wasn't perfect. Or to show the man when he became too difficult to deal with.

"I _really_ am, though."

"I know."

"I _didn't_ mean to hurt you."

"Jack, I know. It's okay."

"It is?"

Jack and Jason's voices exclaimed in unison while the rest of the group echoed the shocked query.

"I mean that I know it wasn't either of yours' intent to try and make me into a one-handed Tea Boy. But," he said quickly. "Please don't do it again."

Miranda scowled at Jason.

"Aren't _you_ going to apologize?" she demanded.

"One, if I do it now, it will look like I'm trying to one-up Harkness. Two, Ianto _knows_ I'm sorry."

Now it was Ianto who could feel a headache start just behind his left eye.

"Okay. I think what we need right now is to sit down and talk like reasonable, mature adults."

_Bless you Gwen for coming with him._

"Excellent idea," Jenny replied. "Ianto, can you brew a couple pots of coffee or should we just skip it?"

"I'm good. Just that someone will need to carry it for me."

No one but Ianto could make anything but sludge from the _Mr. Coffee_ coffee maker. What was ironic was that most of them could make a decent brew with their own coffee makers at home but not at work. And Jason preferred Greek coffee at home, slow boiled over an open flame.

"I'll help you," Shelly said stepping over to him.

"Me too," John Hart piped up.

"Right, then." Ianto straightened his tie and looked around the room. "Team meeting in ten minutes. Mobiles turned off please."

~_~_~

"I _never_ visited you in the hospital! I didn't even know you were alive until _yesterday_!"

Jack's voice could certainly fill the room. The fact that he was angry made it worse.

"I… I'm beginning to realize that I was most likely tricked," Ianto said as he shrank back.

"Of course you were, Sweetheart," Gwen said gently. "After everything we'd been through, do you honestly believe that we would have turned our backs on you?"

They were all in the boardroom. Ianto had taken Jason's chair so that there would not be a fight over who sat next to him. Jason was on his immediate left and Jack on his right. Gwen sat next to Jack, which was a good thing. Her soothing voice helped calm Jack down. Ianto was really glad that she was here.

"Well, I didn't actually see you clearly. The lighting of the room was rather dim and I had just awoken a short time previous."

Jenny spoke up, saying, "And you were probably on enough medication to paralyze an elephant, not to mention suffering from brain damage."

"It would have been easy to fool you," Sam added.

Ianto bit his lip and looked at Jack. Ever since he had seen the man walk out of the hospital room his heart had been in tatters. He had wondered what he had done to be used and tossed aside like a piece of filth.

"You really didn't know?"

Jack's angry expression softened. He reached a tentative hand towards his lover.

"No," he murmured. "The last time I saw you was when we buried you. I left Torchwood after that."

Part of Jason wanted to wrench his fiancé's hand from the Captain's grip but another part of him was resigned to the fact that Ianto was still deeply in love with the man. If he tried to force Jack away it would widen the gap that had appeared between Ianto and himseld. So instead of asserting his claim forcefully he reached over and carefully rested his hand on Ianto's forearm, wary of the brace.

"I think," he said slowly. "That maybe it's time we continued investigating the conspiracy theory."

"What conspiracy theory?" Jack asked as he forced himself to not react to Jason touching Ianto.

Gwen and John exchanged a curious look. The Bluemont team looked uncomfortable.

Jason cleared his throat before speaking.

"Our records show that after the events of the 456, both of you retired from Torchwood. The base was built over and the Rift abandoned."

"So when you received my email you suspected that something wasn't right?" Gwen asked.

"It was suspicious from the beginning when we were told that Ianto was coming here. Actually, the strange thing is that all we were told was that he worked for the Institute. We didn't even know his name."

Jack frowned and shifted into 'Captain' mode.

"Our records of the international program are incomplete. I told Gwen that you were probably dead. It was a shock to even talk to you, to learn that you were alive."

"Maybe," John said. "The person who ordered Ianto's transfer tampered with the files?"

"But why," Miranda asked. "It doesn't make sense. Transfers happen between the North American bases all the time. I was a transfer here from Texas. There was no evil plot going on then."

"Okay, let's examine the facts," John said. "Ianto dies of an alien virus leaked into the air of a sealed building. He is buried and then later thawed out. He's in a hospital and is visited by three people who he thinks are people he cares about. The people most likely to break his spirit."

"A UNIT hospital," Ianto interjected absently. "I was in London. That's what they told me, at least."

"I spent a great deal of time the last year at the UNIT base in London," Jack said slowly.

"So then," Gwen spoke. "UNIT knows Ianto is alive. UNIT wants to keep Jack from finding him."

"But why?" Shelly asked.

"Revenge, maybe? They never liked Torchwood in general and loathed Jack personally." Gwen shrugged.

"Or," Jack said. "UNIT isn't in charge. Maybe there's someone else."

"Hartman."

They looked at Jason.

"Yvonne Hartman died at Canary Wharf," Jack said.

"I know that," Jason replied in annoyance. "But Harper and Sato said something about Hartman."

"Owen and Tosh?" Jack's eyebrows shot up.

"They're… dead too, Jason," Ianto mumbled.

"I know. But I met them in the darkness."

"What?" Ianto stared hard at his fiancé. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Remember a few months ago when I was shot and killed? In the woods? They said you kicked the guy's ass."

"Oh, when we were… taking a breather. Because of the Retcon." Ianto ducked his head a bit to avoid looking at anyone. He didn't like thinking about the day Jason had died. It didn't matter that it had been temporary. He could still see the bullet as it moved through the air and feel the stickiness of the blood as it poured out of the wound. The weight of Jason's body in his arms as he clung to him in the back of the van still felt so heavy. His relief and broken-hearted sobs as they made love in the shower…

"Yeah." Jason fondly remembered the shower as well. "Ahem… anyway. While I was dead, which we've confirmed really did happen, I met Harper and Sato. We talked about a lot."

"You never mentioned this…" Ianto frowned. He flushed as he recalled the slippery feel of their wet skin as the shower pounded down on their gyrating bodies. He coughed a bit.

"I was a bit more concerned about being alive and… comforting you."

Jack could read between the lines. He knew _exactly_ how Ianto had been comforted. He had to force himself to focus (and to stop grinding his teeth).

"What did they say?"

Jason frowned as he tried to remember but the details were blurry.

"They said that it was because of a kiss that Ianto survived the virus. It boosted his immune system and saved his life. And that you left because you felt guilty for everything."

"You got that right," Jack muttered. He tightened his hold on Ianto's hand.

"Also, they said that I was shot by someone sent to kill me."

"What?" Ianto felt a chill slither down his back. "So that man in black was an assassin?"

"Man in black?" Jack looked at him and frowned. "What did he look like?"

"Average looks," Ianto said. "Dark hair. Nothing remarkable or unique enough to stand out in my memory."

"Hm… No CCTV in the area it happened?"

"No, we were in the woods near…" Ianto trailed off.

"The Squids," Jason finished. "We were at the Squid enclosure. There are cameras set up there."

Susan spoke up then. "Bobby and I can look through the footage to see if we can find the guy. Maybe we have him on file somewhere."

"Good idea," Gwen said with a smile. "Now all we need is a motive to get the ball rolling."

"_'Because of Ianto.'_"

"What?"

"Harper said that I was targeted because of Ianto," Jason said. It was slowly coming back to him.

Ianto rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. "What does that mean?"

"I dunno," Jason admitted.

"Can you remember anything else?" John asked. "Anything at all that might help?"

"They alluded to the idea that Hartman was involved somehow. They also hinted that the Rift expansion has something to do with it. And then I remembered--"

_I'll never forget you, even when you're forgotten._

"I remembered…"

"Jason, what did you remember?" Jenny asked.

As long as we love each other, that's all that matters. We'll find each other again.

"Jason?"

Ianto touched his arm and was startled as his fiancé jumped.

"Jason, what is it you remembered?" Jack asked.

"I don't know." Jason wasn't ready to share memories that couldn't be real. "Probably nothing." He shook his head to clear it. "Anyway, Harper and Sato disappeared and that was when the two kids and Lisa showed up."

"Lisa? You saw _Lisa_?" Gwen, Jack and Ianto cried as one.

"Yeah. And two little boys." He dared to look Jack in the eye. "You nephew and son."

"My what and what?"

"Steven Carter and your son. I saw them."

Jack decided to keep quiet on his true relation to Steven as it would required too much explaining as to why he looked the same age as his daughter. But the rest…

"I don't have a son."

"Then who the hell was it?"

"I dunno. What did he look like?"

"Curly brown hair. Maybe eight years old. He looked kinda like you and he said something about his daddy had been bad or something."

Jack's immortal heart threatened to explode inside his ribcage. The answer to this piece of the puzzle tickled at his brain but it was just of his reach.

"I've met a lot of people," he said warily. "And I haven't always been so… careful. It's possible that I had a son and he died and I was never told."

They all sat in silence as they tried to digest all of this. The silence lingered until a yawn escaped Gwen's mouth.

"Oh, sorry."

Ianto shook himself and sat up straight. His butler-mode kicked into high gear.

"Right. You're in a different time zone. You should probably get some rest. Shelly, any of the safe houses available?"

"Uh, yeah," the bubbly girl replied. "There's one a few minutes away."

"Please see to their needs," Ianto said. "I would recommend that we all get some rest. Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to think better."

"Agreed," Jason said. "The three of you will go with Shelly. Everyone else go home. We'll reconvene at 8 a.m. tomorrow."

Jack's eyes narrowed as he watched Monroe help Ianto to his feet. The urge to pluck his lover from the man's grasp was strong but he resisted. He would make an opportunity to be alone with Ianto soon. He was not about to give up. He was going to win back Ianto's trust and take him back home.

Afterall, he was Captain Jack Harkness.

~_~_~

Two hours later. The apartment above the grocer.

"You what?"

Ianto flinched at the hurt and shock in Jason's voice.

"It's better this way." He really wished his voice wouldn't shake.

"But why?" Jason demanded. "Why can't I stay the night?"

It took everything Ianto had to not give in to those sad eyes. He reached out and placed a hand on Jason's chest. The regular heartbeat was soothing in a way.

"Because I think that right now we need a little space so that we can keep our heads clear and figure this puzzle out."

"Are you going back to him?"

The soft whisper caught him off-guard. Ianto remembered right after Jack had returned from running away that he had asked his captain that very same question. _I came back for you. _Ianto had been pleased by that response. _All of you_. That second had taken the wind out of the sails of his heart. He had held out on Jack for a couple of weeks. Yes, Jack had asked him out on a date but had continued to pine for Gwen. So Ianto had decided to give him a taster of what he'd put his Archivist-turned-lover through. He had teased and flirted mercilessly (_Just us and this room. For as long as it takes… Shivers down my spine… Oh, it passed._) to keep Jack's attention but he had refused to allow anything more than the barest of physical contact. The only reason it had changed was because of the conversation they'd had the night before they'd sent Tommy back to the year 1918, to his eventual death.

In retrospect, Ianto had known that he was only one of many when Jack had said, _"Loved people I never would have known if I had just stayed where I was."_ At the time though he had been so moved by the intense look in the other's eyes and had wanted his Captain so badly that he had tossed caution to the wind. They had spent the night refamiliarizing themselves with each other's bodies.

But now a simple question -- "_Are you going back to him?"_ -- made him think of one thing and one thing only.

He was engaged to Jason, not Jack.

"No."

Jason pulled Ianto into his arms and held him tight. He pressed his face against his fiancé's shoulder and tried to hold back the tears.

"You still love him," he mumbled into Ianto's neck.

"Yes." Ianto would not lie about that. "But I still love you as well."

"So what are we going to do? I don't want to lose you…"

"I told you before, I made my choice."

"Ianto, that choice was made when Harkness was on another continent and we all believed that he had abandoned you." Jason lifted his head and met the blue eyes. "It's easy to pick option A when option B isn't even available."

Ianto worried at his lip as he searched his fiancé's face for answers to questions he wasn't even sure of.

"I love you, Jason Monroe. Don't ever doubt that. Do you see now why I need to clear my head?"

Jason did and he hated it. Ianto had a choice to make. Someone, he or Harkness, was going to get hurt and it was killing Ianto to be the one to cause them pain.

"Every time," Jason said. "That my life starts to go right, when I feel happy, something happens to make me so miserable."

"Hehe…" Ianto chuckled sadly. "Me too." He bumped his nose against Jason's jaw, nuzzling it. "Just this morning we were cuddling in bed. Now my stomach feels as if the rats are staging a takeover."

"What does that mean, anyway? You mentioned rats in your stomach before." _When you thought I had betrayed and used you._

"Oh, it's just the way I feel when things are so bad, when I'm so upset that my stomach feels like it's going to burst."

"Kinda like butterflies in your stomach only more nausea?"

"I suppose. I only feel this way when my world feels like it's about to end."

They were silent for several moments. Jason held Ianto against his chest, a hand rubbing his back.

"Jason?"

"Hmm?"

"Right now," Ianto began, his voice low and cautious. "With the conspiracy going on, I don't feel that I can make a decision. I think that we should work with Jack and Gwen to solve the puzzle and then only after the crisis is over… Then I'll be able to think more clearly."

"So you think we should sleep apart until after this is all over and done?"

The sad smile that graced Ianto's face made Jason's heart flutter. It gave him hope.

"No. I can't do that. Just… Just tonight. Give us all a chance to focus our minds." Ianto raised his left hand and wriggled his fingers. "Can I keep it on?" he asked shyly.

"You had better," Jason said, smiling a bit. Then he turned serious. "Ianto. I need you to understand something."

"What?"

"I am not going to give you up without a fight. Even if I am half a second from losing my life and the only way out is to let you go, I won't do it. If Captain Jack Harkness wants you back, then the bastard is going to have to work very hard to prove that he's the better man for you. But I don't like to lose."

Ianto cradled his face with both hands and kissed his forehead.

"I was actually kinda hoping you would feel that way," he said.

Jason pulled Ianto's hands into his own and lowered his head. He pressed his lips to the corner of Ianto's mouth. Any closer and he would have been unable to give Ianto the space he needed.

"Make sure you eat something. There's leftover casserole in the fridge as well as some of the soup from the other day." Jason knew Ianto well enough to know that he would be so concerned about everyone else he would forgo dinner in order to work on the investigation.

"I will, I promise," Ianto assured him. "Pick me up in the morning?"

Jason's soft smile lit up the room.

"I'll be here by 7:30."

He squeezed Ianto's hands and left.

As the door closed Ianto became aware of the size of the apartment. It was small on space but big on emptiness.

He looked around the room and sighed.

How could he decide between two people he loved so much?

~_~_~

The other side of town. A Torchwood safe house.

Gwen and John were settling into their rooms for the night. Jack, on the other hand, stood in the small living room and watched the clock.

It had been two hours since they had left the base. Two hours since Ianto had gone with Monroe.

Jack prided himself on knowing the ins and outs of Ianto Jones. If he was correct, and he was sure he was, then Ianto would not permit Monroe to stay the night with him. Ianto would want a night alone where he could think and gather his thoughts.

Was it bad that Jack was considering sneaking out to see him? Probably. But he had seen the look on Monroe's face, in his eyes. Monroe was not going to give Ianto up. Then again, neither was Jack. The immortal had lost far too much in his life to just stand by and watch his lover leave him for another. Maybe if the 456 had been defeated by some other means and Steven was still alive Jack would be able to let go. But Steven was dead. Ianto was alive.

So Jack Harkness was not going to just sit back and watch as the one person he loved more than anything walked off with some tall, dark and handsome guy who was very broad-shouldered.

No, Jack Harkness was going to do whatever it took to get Ianto back in his arms.

Even if he had to be sneaky and underhanded.

His advanced hearing picked up the sound of Gwen flipping off the light in her room. John's soft snores also reached his ears. He slowly counted to one hundred before he walked out the door.

When Ianto had walked past earlier he had placed a small tracker on him. Now he flipped open his wrist strap and activated it. He had Ianto's coordinates and he materialized in an alley next to a 24-hour grocery store. Jack lifted his head and looked up at the floor above the store. A familiar figure stood in front of the window. It was now or never.

Jack bent down and picked up a few pebbles from the ground. He smiled ruefully as he likened himself to the boyish lovers in old stories. It always worked for them so why not him?

The first pebble missed the window by a mile. The second pebble bounced off the glass but Ianto didn't react. The third pebble got the young man's attention.

Ianto tugged open the window and leaned out to look at what had caused the disturbance.

"Ianto!" Jack kept his voice low, so as not to frighten.

"Jack? What the-- Oh God. Come around to the stairs. I'll buzz you up."

With a grin Jack dashed over to the door and waited for the sound of a lock being unlatched.

~_~_~

Lansing, Michigan.

Christine shut down her laptop and switched off the desk lamp. Tomorrow she had no classes and so she could relax and enjoy the rest of her Sunday without even having to think about school or papers due.

She rose from her chair and padded barefoot into the small kitchen of the apartment she shared with her friend. Her mother had been against her getting a place while still in school. It had taken her father agreeing to a stern lecture about adult responsibility (while at the local McDonald's, eating a Happy meal) for her mother to give in. Jason Monroe knew that his oldest daughter was not going to let her education suffer just because she was not living at home. To be perfectly honest, Kate Monroe had stifled her creativity in a desperate attempt to keep some semblance of control in her own life.

She could not blame her mother for her reaction to anything. Christine knew that her mother was used to being spoiled by everyone in her life and did not know how to behave when it came to important decisions. She was a good mother, just a bit flighty.

There had been many times before the divorce that Christine had wondered why her parents had gotten married in the first place. Her mother was a little girl trapped in a woman's body who needed constant reassurance. She needed to be told that she was pretty and she loved being showered with gifts. Kate was very materialistic. Her father refused to allow anyone (well, almost anyone) to see his vulnerable side. He had such a strong presence that it was hard to look away when he entered a room. The way that he commanded respect with just his eyes always sent shivers coursing through her. One day she hoped she could be like that.

Beep beep beep. Beep. Beep beep beep. Beep.

She picked up her cell phone and flipped it open. The number was not one she recognized.

"Hello?" she said in greeting.

"Hehe hehe. Hehehe." Muffled laughter.

"Hello?"

"Ahehe."

"Who is this?"

"Hehhe."

"I'm hanging up," she said in a bored tone.

"Hello Princess."

Christine froze at the sound of _that_ voice. She _knew_ that voice.

Once, when she was a teenager, she had heard this voice. It was only a few weeks before her father had returned from working in London. She had been home alone, as her mother had needed to rush out to pick up Rob and Katelyn from school. She couldn't remember where Richard had been; probably off at a friend's house. The house phone had rung and she had answered.

_"Monroe residence. How may I help you?"_

Her father had taught her how to properly answer the phone. He had also taught her to avoid telling anyone when she was home alone. It didn't matter to him that she wasn't a little kid. His experience in the State police and Interpol had made him aware of the dangers teens faced in their homes everyday. Even now, as an adult in graduate school, she never let on that she was home alone to a stranger over the phone.

"Are you Christine, then? You sound much too young and mature to be that bitch Kate."

That was the one time that she had forgotten her father's lessons of phone etiquette. Sure her mother was rather silly and childlike. But to call her a _bitch_. Oh no he didn't! Her hackles raised, her cheeks flaming with anger, she had snapped out a nasty response and been about to slam the phone back down.

"You are certainly your Daddy's little Princess, aren't you? Too bad that Daddy won't be coming back intact."

_"What? What do you mean? Is he okay? Has he been hurt?"_

_"Yes. To all of it. Be careful, Princess. Daddy's going to be a little strange for a while. It's a side effect of the erasure process. But just remember this, Princess. If Daddy remembers too much, I will find out. And then I will come for you."_

_"Remembers what?" _Daddy. She had to protect Daddy.

"If he remembers who I made him forget, I will come for you."

_"Why me?"_

_"Because. You, your brothers and sisters are so important to him. And that means that, just like that stupid Welsh child, you are his weakness. I will use you to destroy him."_

_"Go to Hell."_

_"I rather do hope to see you soon, Princess. You have the same fire in you that he has in him."_

The phone had gone dead. Christine had been terrified and had called her father's cell phone. He had sounded weird but said it was because he had spent the whole last day preparing to return to the States. She had chosen to believe him and had in turn pushed the terrifying phone call into the deep recesses of her mind.

Now, as she held her cell phone to her ear, she wished that she had confronted her father as soon as he had returned home ten years ago.

"You," she breathed. "It's you."

"Yes. I must admit I never expected to talk to you again. I actually believed that your daddy would never remember."

"Remember what, exactly?" she said as she walked swiftly back to her desk and fired up the laptop.

"He never should have remembered the Welsh boy. But he did."

"Welsh… Ianto?" Oh no. What did her father's fiancé have to do with this? She liked him and saw how much he loved her father. She had even taken the liberty of gathering several wedding planner magazines so that she would be ready when they were.

"That little brat really made a mess of things. The only consolation is that he himself doesn't fully remember. He still feels that his own memories are dreams that have been warped by his own pathetic reality. But," the voice lowered dangerously. "Your daddy on the other hand… He remembers _everything_. At least I made certain to never allow my name to be spoken to either of them. I'm afraid though that I must make good on my promise to you."

"Promise?" She opened up her email contact list and selected the first address she saw. She clicked on it and typed a single word into the draft and then clicked 'send'. Her eyes closed as she prayed. If this man could track down her cell phone number he could probably keep her message from getting out. If she took the time to go into detail, instead of one word, it increased the chance of him discovering what she was doing.

All she needed was for the message recepient to understand.

"Yes. I said that I would come for you."

Knock knock.

She spun around, the phone clutched to her chest. The front door creaked open.

"Chris? Honey are you home?"

It was Kate. Oh God.

"No…" she whispered.

Her mother poked her head around the opened door and smiled at her. Rob and Katelyn (still in her cheerleader uniform) grinned at her from behind their mother's head.

"Mom…"

The former Mrs. Monroe might have been childish and immature but she was still a mother. The instincts that most mothers (good and bad) had kicked in at the sound of her daughter's frightened, shaken voice.

"Chris, what is it?"

A man dressed in a black uniform appeared behind them. He held a type of gun in his hand.

"Please," Christine begged softly. "Just take me. I'm the only one who knows what it is Daddy does."

Kate turned slowly at that and barely kept from screaming. Her hands lashed out and pulled her two youngest to her body. There was nothing she could do to keep this man from killing any of them. That didn't mean she would just stand idly by. If this man in black wanted her children, he would have to go through her first.

The man looked dispassionately at the little family. He raised his eyes to meet Christine's, recognizing her as the voice of reason.

"I'm sorry," he said.

This was a different voice from the one on the phone. Christine wasn't sure how but she knew that he was as trapped and lost as they were.

"I don't want to hurt any of you," the man continued. "But if you don't come with me, then I have no choice but to kill you. It's your bodies we need anyway."

As she closed the cell phone and stepped away from the desk, Christine glanced at the computer screen.

One new email message.

But it was too late.

~_~_~

Back at Bluemont. The apartment above the grocer.

Jack's hands were under his shirt. Those hands that had known every curve and angle of his body were once more sending pleasant tingles all over his skin.

Ianto undid Jack's braces and pushed them roughly off the broad shoulders. His fingers deftly undid the buttons of the shirt and that too was pushed off, it puddled onto the floor. Jack obediently lifted his arms so his lover could tug the white tee shirt over his head. The immortal then removed Ianto's purple dress shirt and tie.

Now that both men were topless, Jack decided to kick it up a notch. He sat down on the bed and pulled Ianto onto his lap. Their mouths crashed together in a familiar dance for control. Jack moved his right hand down to Ianto's pants. As he pulled down the zipper, he moaned. Ianto had moved his lips to Jack's neck and was nibbling at the sensitive skin there.

Jack's hand slipped into the opened pants and curled around the rapidly hardening member. It felt and responded just as it had before.

It was almost too much. Ianto let out a whine and pushed, maneuvering their bodies fully onto the bed. They lay on their sides and explored each other eagerly. Jack's hands cupped Ianto's buttocks and squeezed possessively. Ianto lowered his mouth to tongue at a hard nipple.

It was as if the 456 had never happened.

Jack couldn't hold back any longer. He rolled Ianto onto his back and made swift work of removing the well-cut trousers.

As Jack started to remove his underwear, Ianto arched his back and then froze.

The light from the bedside table reflected off the ring on his left hand.

"Jack…"

Not noticing his lover's reaction, Jack leaned down and trailed kisses all over Ianto's thighs before he latched his mouth onto the throbbing cock. His tongue moved in swirls up and down as Ianto bucked into the wet crevice.

"Jack… Wait."

But Jack didn't want to. He wanted to cement his relationship with Ianto. He wanted to show the other man how much he loved him.

"Jack, stop."

That did it. Jack pulled back and raised concerned, worried eyes to his lover.

"What's wrong?" he asked as Ianto pushed himself up.

He watched in dismay as Ianto pulled the bed sheet up and covered himself.

"Uh, Ianto?"

"Jack…" Ianto ran a hand through sweat-dampened hair. He knew that he could not lay all the blame on Jack. It had been his own decision to invite Jack into his home. He could have ignored the pebbles as they hit the window. And he couldn't even fully blame Jack for starting _this_. Jack had merely wanted to talk when he'd come up. It had been Ianto who had made the first move. Maybe it had been due to the pheromones or to the fact that he was unused to spending his nights alone. Whatever the reason, it was _Ianto_ who had closed the distance and kissed Jack.

"Ianto, what is it?"

"We can't do this."

"Uh, why not? I thought you wanted it."

"I did… do. But… Jack it shouldn't have happened."

"Because of Monroe?"

"Jack, until today I believed you had used me. I think it's best if we don't do… this. Not until we all have time to sort ourselves out. Not to mention there's the ongoing investigation."

"Ianto…" Jack sighed and sat with his back against the headboard. He looked up at the ceiling and forced his body to cool down. "You're probably right," he eventually said. "A lot has happened… I was just so happy to see you, to be with you."

"I still love you," Ianto admitted. "That hasn't changed."

Jack took hold of Ianto's hand and inspected the ring.

"And yet you're engaged to someone else."

"Don't start."

"Why?"

"Because as you said, a lot has happened." Ianto laced their fingers together and kissed the back of Jack's hand. "I can't simply switch off my feelings. I love you _and_ him. It's not as if I planned it. Believe me, I would have been perfectly happy as things were with you."

He wanted to believe that. But Captain Jack Harkness had seen Ianto's face whenever they had passed by the jeweler on the corner a few blocks from the Hub. The engagement rings on display had been brought in conversation many times. Jack had always changed the topic from '_that lovely little band with a small diamond on it_' to something neutral. Like the weather or a new sex position he wanted to try.

"I wanted it, you know," he said softly. "But I'm not like you. Marriage for me is different. Every single day I watch as the people around me get a little bit closer to death."

"You did it once before," came the soft voice. "The picture in the tin that you showed me."

"It wasn't going to last long, that's why I did it."

"I don't understand."

"She was sick, dying. Her only wish before her body gave out was to marry in the same church she'd grown up in."

"Did you love her?"

"She was my friend. She was important to me. Yes, I loved her. In a way."

"And she died?"

"A few weeks after the wedding. I took her traveling so that her last days would be happy. She died in her sleep as I lay there holding her."

"And you never again considered marriage?"

"No. Until after we lost Owen and Tosh and I saw how afraid Gwen was to let Rhys out of her sight. I looked at you and saw a world where we could be together. White house, kids, a dog… You know, the whole package."

"Dog… no thank you. Too messy."

Jack let out a chuckle and squeezed Ianto's hand. "Okay, so no dog."

"The rest," Ianto hesitated. "Sounds nice, though."

"Then let's do it. Let's run away and forget all of this."

"Jack."

"I had to try, you know that, right?"

Now it was Ianto who laughed.

"There's that smile! Been waiting for that."

"Jack, you're impossible!"

"Okay, so no elopement. Or a dog. What _do_ you want?"

Ianto looked at him.

"Time. I need to think, Jack. I need to think about who is better for _me_ and who _I'm_ better for. You both can offer me so much. But I need to think. Can you do that? Give me space to think?"

"Just so long as you understand that I will fight for you. Ianto Jones, I love you too much to let you go again."

Ianto bit his lip and looked away.

"You and he are more alike than I think you want to admit."

"Ugh…"

"Jack."

"Yes?"

"I think you should go back to the safe house and try to sleep."

"Only because I love you will I do that. See you in the morning?"

"8 o'clock at the base."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

Ianto watched as Jack put his shirts back on and picked up his great coat. He kept his eyes on the door even long after Jack had closed it behind him.

He looked down at the ring on his finger and sighed.

How the hell was he supposed to decide?

* * *

NOTES!! Thank my friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) for being able to look at this chapter for me! I emailed him 3 more so let's hope that he and I can sync our schedules enough to be able to post them BEFORE Sunday. I'm in the process of writing more as we speak and it's going well. I will still, even if I post the 3 other chapters in the next couple of days, post on Sunday. Having the storyline written out by chapter (although things in one chapter will be moved to another, like the Monroe's being taken was supposed to be in the next chapter) makes it easier.

Fingers crossed everyone? I want to post the next 3 parts but prefer quality to quantity. Now, I'm off to write some more!!!


	16. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

_January 18, 2015. Sunday evening. Michigan._

"Hey Rich! Have you seen my phone?"

Richard Monroe rolled his eyes at his roommate's voice.

"Probably in the couch as usual," he shouted back.

He turned back to his computer and noticed that he had a new email message from Christine. With a click he opened the message and then froze.

_Help_.

Christine was not the sort of person to play jokes or needlessly worry people. She never pretended that something was wrong. It was not something she did; she was too much like their father in personality to make light of serious issues.

If she was sending an email with only the word "_help_" as the body of the message then it was because she needed help.

He knew it would not be something trivial like help with school or work. Even minor (though they may seem like more) relationship problems would not be just cause for this.

Richard knew that something bad, something really bad, had happened to his little sister.

He clicked reply and typed in "_Talk to me_" and then clicked _send_. Christine would respond in less than a minute if she were able. When his went unanswered he called her cell phone.

"Hey, it's Chris Monroe! Leave me a message!"

Richard ended the call before the beep. If she had been able, she would have answered. Something, or someone, was keeping her from responding.

Rising he picked up his keys and ran out the door. He hadn't been blessed with the intuition of his father but he was not an idiot. He knew something was wrong. Hopefully Kate would be able to help. As he unlocked his car door he called his mother's cell phone.

"The number you are trying to reach is out of service."

"Shit."

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Suzie shrank back against the wall as the UNIT soldiers led the Monroe's to the cells. The mother and the two youngest were quite noisy while the oldest managed to keep her calm.

_Monroe's daughter_, she mused.

The girl even looked like Monroe, just more feminine. With a sigh Suzie pushed away from the wall and hurried to Kahl's side.

"Why are they here?"

"As insurance."

"Against what?"

Kahl looked her in the eye and said, "That Monroe leaves Jones be."

Suzie frowned, her hand on her flip-flopping stomach, and replied, "This will only piss him off."

"Probably. But Mr. Franklin insisted." He touched her shoulder, almost gently. "I know you want to protect them as best you can but there really isn't much we can do."

"But--"

"You have access to them. Talk to them. The girl, Christine, is the common sense of the family. Talk to her. Convince her that Monroe needs to stay away from Jones. He'll listen to her."

"Not likely. He really cares about Ianto."

Kahl rubbed at his face, the stubble scratching his skin.

"Look, it's been a long couple of days. You looked exhausted. Get some rest. And when did you eat last?"

"I'm fine," Suzie protested. "I've been busy." She tried to ignore the near constant queasiness in her stomach.

He studied her for a moment.

"Get some rest."

~_~_~

_January 19, 2015. Monday morning. Torchwood Bluemont._

Jack watched as Ianto poured coffee. It was a familiar sight. So many times he had watched the younger man make and serve his unique blend of dark brew.

"Industrial strength, black." Ianto held up a plain white mug and gave a tentative smile.

"Just the way I like it," Jack replied with his trademarked grin.

Jack took a sip and hummed his appreciation. No one could make coffee like Ianto Jones.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack noticed Monroe watching them like a hawk. Part of him wanted to let Monroe in on what had almost occurred last night. The less selfish part of him knew that if he did, Ianto would be upset. In fact, Ianto might not be able to forgive him. When he'd returned to the safe house last night, Jack had decided that he would play fair in his quest to be the one Ianto chose. He would not attempt to seduce or deceive the younger man. He would even open up and talk about his past. He would not say or do anything to make Monroe look bad.

That didn't mean he couldn't bait Monroe though.

"I don't know what I've missed more, the coffee or the suits."

"Jack…"

"Can I help it if you look good in a suit?"

"Behave," Ianto warned. "Jason? Want a cup?"

Jason crossed the room in two seconds flat. He rested his hand on the small of Ianto's back and locked his dark eyes onto Jack's face. He made it clear with his posture that he was asserting his claim and that he was not going to budge.

_Well, two could play that way_, Jack thought. He would be Mr. Nice Guy later.

"So," Jason said after he took a sip. "Before we get started, anything interesting we need to look at today? "

"No, the Rift is cooperating, for the moment."

Jason nodded and lifted his mug to his lips (Jack couldn't help but notice that it was a purple, monogrammed mug. Much nicer than the plain white one Jack held) and said:

"So, nothing happened last night then?"

Ianto choked on a mouthful of coffee. He coughed harshly and nearly doubled over as he tried not to think about LAST NIGHT. He knew that Jason meant that he'd had no nightmares but still…

"Alright there, Ianto?" Jack said innocently as he patted the other man on the back.

"It… went down the wrong way," Ianto rasped out.

Jason started to slide his hand up Ianto's back –

"Never seemed to have any problems going down before," Jack replied.

-- and then choked on his own coffee.

"What?!" Jason gasped between hacking coughs.

Jack feigned perfect innocence as he said, "You really shouldn't drink so fast. That's not good for you."

"Jack," Ianto began.

"Hey, you guys ready?" Miranda asked as she came over.

She looked at the three of them, wondering exactly what had happened. All three had guilty expressions on their faces, especially Ianto. There was a story to be told here but she seriously doubted it ever would be.

"Ready?" Jason gaped at her.

"For the meeting."

"What meeting?"

If they hadn't each been so preoccupied with their own shamefaced thoughts then they would have seen the rather comical expression on her face. Her lips were puckered and her cheeks sucked in while she wiggled her eyebrows in confusion.

"Yes, the meeting. The conspiracy. Ianto's death-and-resurrection and sudden transfer… remember all that?"

"Conspiracy! Yes, right." Ianto stepped away from both men and straightened his already straight tie. "Shall we?"

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

She knew what she needed to do.

Suzie pulled her curly tresses into a tight braid and tugged on her jacket. She was ready.

It had not been easy for her to choose to do this but she felt that it was what she was supposed to do. She had helped a monster for far too long now and needed to at least try to fix everything. If she had to grovel and beg Gwen Cooper for help, then she would bury her pride and do it.

Yes, Gwen Cooper. From the moment she had met the other woman she had hated her. There was no logical reason for the feeling, it just was. Now, several years later she was returning to Earth to find the former P.C. and ask her for help. She knew that Gwen would be the one to approach because of Gwen's desire to fix everything and her protective nature. Ianto and Jack were as important to Gwen as her own family; she would fight to protect them.

But Suzie knew that it would not be easy to convince Gwen to help her. She would have to confess everything and even then, Gwen might not trust her.

_I have to try. I've messed up my own life, the least I can do is save theirs._

One last glance in the mirror and she activated the Vortex Manipulator.

_21__st__ century Earth, here I come!_

~_~_~

"Where's Gwen?" Ianto asked as he sat down.

"She was still getting dressed when we left," John Hart said. "You know how women are when it comes to clothes… Oy! I'm kidding!"

Jenny stopped smacking his head and turned back with a _humph_.

"Okay," Jason said. "Let's get started. She'll get here when she gets here." He pointed to the stacks of folders and collated reports. "See all this? This is all the files between the two Torchwoods that contradict each other. There's quite a pile to get through. We need to look for anything, no matter how vague, that tells us what's going on. If the conspiracy exists, and I think we all know that it does, there's bound to be some sort of hint. So grab a folder and get started."

They spent the next hour looking through files for any clues. While the rest of them did that, Susan and Bobby worked on looking for a picture of the man in black clothes. They all knew that the man was involved, they just didn't know _how_.

"There's Ianto and Miranda… So that creep should be coming right about-- Now!"

"Now all we need to do," Susan said as she leaned closer to the monitor. On the screen Ianto was pressed back against the man as the man felt him up.

"Damn!" Bobby said. "The angle's shitty. You can only see part of his face. Not to mention that there's too much shadows and not enough light."

"We can enhance it."

"Only so much though," he pointed out. "But the picture's too dark. We might be about to enhance some of the features but most of it will still be a blur. An over pixilated blur at that."

Susan stuck her pen in her mouth while twisting her long hair into a bun. She shoved the pen into the messy up do and stood.

"Then we're going to need help," she said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm brilliant, that we all know. In fact I'm so brilliant that my role models aren't celebrities or even my mother."

"Huh?"

She smiled at him as she sifted through a desk drawer.

"There was someone who worked for the Institute for almost five years who was so smart she could have ruled the world. All she lacked was the confidence to do it. When she died, the Institute had a lot of her programs sent along to other Torchwood bases so that we could continue her work. One of the programs was an image enhancement program that had been written using alien and future Earth technology." Susan held up a small disc and smiled. "I played around with it and was even able to fix a few glitches. I call this little piece of software _'Toshiko's Greatest Hits'_."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're weird?"

"All the time, Bobby. I don't lose any sleep over it."

Susan placed the disc into the computer and doubled clicked to open the software.

"This will take a while to install but after that, it will clean up the picture and make us a match."

"Cool."

While they waited they hacked into the old Torchwood One database and searched for Hartman's personal files. Once the software was installed they sent the picture through and turned back to the other monitor.

"Listen to this-- _'I've started to feel that I'm just a body. He doesn't want to meet my family and we always go to his place instead of mine. I don't understand it. I love him. Is he ashamed of me?_'" Susan read. "The next entry, written a few hours later then goes-- _'I can't believe I ever doubted him. Mr. Franklin loves me, I'm sure of it now. When I told him I was leaving him he got upset and told me he couldn't live without me. He told me that when the Ghost Shift experiment is finished he's going to take me away. I'm so happy.'_ Wow…" Susan shook her head.

"They were lovers?" Bobby said. "Huh. Who'd have thunk?"

"File finished," the computer said.

They turned and looked at the face of the man who had, briefly, killed Jason.

"Oh no…"

They looked up to see Captain Harkness directly behind them.

"What is it?"

Jack swallowed the bile that threatened to come up.

"I know that man," he said.

~_~_~

Suzie looked around. She had materialized outside of a gas station that was thankfully void of people. With a flip of the wrist strap she determined that she was only a couple of miles from the Bluemont base. It would take less than twenty minutes to get there by foot.

But she didn't want to go to the base. Not yet.

She needed to find Gwen Cooper and talk to her. The other woman's heart bled continuously for everyone. It was a long shot, but Suzie hoped it would bleed for her too.

The wrist strap was more than just a personal transporter. It had a small protective shield and was capable of locating a single person in a crowd based on their genetic code. And thanks to the ability to travel through time, Suzie had a copy of Gwen Cooper's genetic code on file.

After a few minutes the wrist strap homed in on Gwen. It was a small bit of luck that Gwen was not at the base. It was a bigger bit of luck that she was alone.

Suzie smiled for the first time in a long time and started off.

~_~_~

Gwen sipped at her convenience store coffee as she walked briskly down the street. Jack had been in a rush to get to the base that she had kicked him and Hart out of the safe house while she got ready. She had taken a bit too long in the shower and was now in a hurry. Hopefully, she mused, Jack was behaving himself. The entire situation with Jack, Ianto and Jason was an explosion waiting to happen. Was it any wonder she was _walking_ instead of running?

At the crosswalk she stood and patiently waited for the light to change. She sipped the lukewarm beverage and winced at the slight bitterness. A man in a wheelchair came up beside her and she stepped to the left to accommodate his need for the handicap ramp. That was when she saw her.

On the other side of the street was Suzie Costello.

Gwen barely held onto her cardboard cup. The last time she had seen this woman she had been tricked into helping her. She still got chills whenever she thought of how close to death she had come. After Suzie had died that last time Torchwood had thought they'd seen the last of Suzie.

So why now? And how?

Her mobile vibrated and she took it from her pocket without even a look at the caller id.

"Hello?"

"Meet me at the bench one block east."

"How are you—"

"Hurry."

With only her gut to guide her, Gwen turned and started towards the bench. She kept her eyes in front of her and hoped she wasn't making another mistake.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Christine gave up on picking the lock. It was far too complicated and advanced in technology for her to manage. She kicked the door in frustration and leaned back against it.

Kate looked up from her place on the floor between Katelyn and Rob.

"Christine."

"Yeah Mom?" Christine asked as she slid down into a sitting position along the wall.

"What did you mean? About what your father does?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Sweetheart, I'm not stupid. Tell me. If he's done something bad then I think I deserve to know."

"Mom, we're talking about Dad. Just leave it alone."

"We've been arrested or kidnapped and something tells me it's because of your father and you expect me to leave it alone? No. Now tell me what's he done now."

"It's not like that, Mom."

"Then what is it like?"

"Mom…" Christine covered her face with her hands and refrained from screaming. "You always try to pin the blame on Dad whenever something goes wrong. If the electricity gets turned off you blame him even though it was you who forgot to pay the bill. You always blame everything on him."

"I do not. Now tell me what it is he does."

Christine gritted her teeth. Her mother was relentless when she wanted something. She would never shut up if she didn't get an answer now.

"Fine. He hunts aliens."

Kate blinked. "Be serious."

"I am. Dad works for a secret government organization that hunts down aliens and their technology to protect the Earth from alien threats. Remember five years ago? Katelyn and all the other kids were talking in unison because of aliens."

"Don't be childish!" Kate snapped as she hugged her youngest daughter close.

"In fact, Ianto was there in London when it all went down. Dad doesn't know, but I hacked into the files and read that Ianto had died because of the aliens. He looks pretty cute for a dead guy, don't you think?"

"Now you're being ridiculous!"

"Mom, I'm telling the truth."

Kate pursed her lips at the quiet, authorative tone. There were times when her eldest daughter was too much like Jason that it hurt.

"So…" Rob said. "Is this an alien spaceship then?"

"I dunno. Maybe."

"Both of you, stop it. You're being silly and you're scaring Katelyn."

Katelyn rolled her eyes but said nothing. It was quite clear who was afraid and it wasn't her.

They all looked up as the door slid open. The man who had brought them here stood with several guards behind him.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, but you need to come with me."

Christine and Rob attempted to protect their mother but the guards were quick and strong.

"What are you doing with her?" Christine demanded.

The man looked at her. Her heart pounded as she knew that she didn't want to know the answer.

"I'm sorry. All of you have been caught up in this. All I can promise you is that I will try to see to it that you all die quickly."

"Leave them alone!" Kate struggled to get free. Her designer skirt tore but it could have fallen free of her body and she wouldn't have noticed. All that mattered to her was her children.

"I'd like to, but it's not up to me." He turned and sealed the door before looking Kate in the eye. "And take it from me, sometimes death is kinder. Take her to the interrogation room."

~_~_~

"You took your time," Suzie said as she held out a bag from a donut shop.

Gwen ignored the bag and sat down.

"Some of us only have our feet to move us. What do you want?"

"Aren't you going to ask me how I'm alive?"

"No. I've been with Torchwood long enough to not care."

"Liar. You're just prioritizing what you need to know."

"Suzie…"

"I need your help."

Gwen let out a laugh.

"I'm not going to fall for that again! Last time I helped you I was nearly killed."

"This is different."

"It always is."

"But this time it is. This time, it's not about me. It's about Jack and Ianto and Jason Monroe."

Now Gwen looked at her. Suzie looked the same, just more tired. She wore a sweater, jeans and boots with a trench coat and her curly hair was in a simple plait. The circles under her eyes were more pronounced and her skin had an ashen look to it.

"The conspiracy?"

"Umhum." Suzie took out a donut and bit into it. "I didn't come to know about Torchwood because of Jack. I already knew it. I was sent to Cardiff to spy on everyone there."

"By who?"

"Mr. Franklin. He needed a pair of eyes to keep watch over things. That was me."

"So Mr. Franklin is behind all of this? Why?"

"How much do you know about Jack? I mean, about his past?"

"You worked for him for years, Suzie. You know he doesn't talk about himself unless he has to."

Suzie finished her donut before continuing.

"Our pasts make us who we are. All of us are shaped by the people and things around us. Can you imagine changing your past? How do you think it would change you as you are now?"

"I don't understand."

"It gets more complicated when you're not in your correct time. Especially if you want to change someone else's past."

"Is that what Mr. Franklin is doing? Changing the past? Wait, does that mean he's from the future?"

"Changing the past is tricky. Changing personal time lines to suit specific needs is even trickier. People who were supposed to meet may never even know the other exist once things change."

"Stop with the word games and tell me what you know."

"Ianto was never supposed to meet Jack. But he did and it led to his early death."

Gwen's heart leapt into her throat. It wasn't because of what Suzie had said so much as it was what she herself had always thought. Had Jack never met the Doctor he would never have come to Earth's past. He would never have met Ianto and Ianto would not have died five years ago.

"I know," she said softly.

"Do you understand though? I didn't say that to hurt you but to tell you that someone is manipulating us all."

"How?"

"Jack changed time lines simply by being out of his own time. But even then, Ianto didn't meet Jack ever. He met someone else."

"Monroe. Oh God…"

"Smart girl."

"So what exactly is Mr. Franklin's goal?"

"To become like Jack and rule everything. He also wants to be reunited with his family."

"What happened to them?"

"Their planet was invaded."

Gwen tried to think. Jack was connected and she didn't think it was just because he was immortal. There was something more, something important. It was something she knew but could not put her finger on.

Across the street a mother walked by with her two young boys. It was easy to see that they were brothers.

_Brothers. Like Jack and Grey. But that means…_

"Oh God."

She knew who Mr. Franklin was.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kate screamed as the electrical current ran through her.

"Impressive isn't it?" Mr. Franklin mused. "Humans can withstand many levels of pain. Fascinating."

Kahl kept his eyes on the woman strapped to the table. He knew that the physical pain was only the beginning. The very same technology that had served to punish him in prison was at work here. Kate Monroe's deepest fears and most painful memories would soon pour into her mind.

"She's quite beautiful. I don't see why Monroe ever left her."

Kahl held back a retort that looks were only part of it. He had read the files on Kate Monroe and knew that her immaturity and infidelity had led to the divorce. He also knew what it was that Mr. Franklin wanted to do with her.

He was going to rape her mind.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

"His name is Kahl. He was a Time Agent in the 51st century before he made a big mistake and was sentenced to life in prison."

Jason frowned as he looked at the image of the man who had killed him.

"So what's he doing here?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Jack said. "No good, that much I can tell you."

"Yes," Hart said. "Especially since he should still be in prison."

Dan said, "Maybe he got parole?"

Hart flashed him a dark smile. "Where he was at there's no such thing as parole."

"What's a Time Agent?" Shaina asked.

Jack hesitated before replying. He didn't like telling people about his past since so few could handle it. If Ianto weren't still potentially in danger he would keep quiet still.

"Centuries from now Time Travel is common in the right circumstances. The Time Agency sends Agents to different points in human history. They study the past in order to preserve the future. In extreme instances humans who had died are saved from death and removed from their time to live in another."

"But," Hart cautioned. "It has to be a very extreme instance. For example, the colony of Roanoke Island here in the United States. Everyone disappeared without a trace."

"Wait a sec!" Shantaye cried. "What did the Time Agency do?"

"History stated that they all died," Jack said. "The Agent sent to observe them convinced the Agency that since there were no survivors that they could be removed from their time and placed somewhere else where they could live their lives. They live on a small colony world with people of similar backgrounds."

"But that's wrong!" Erin said.

"So we should have just let them die?"

"The ethics of the future Time Agency aren't up for debate," Jason said firmly. "History tells us that the colonists vanished and frankly, I'm glad that they're alive and well. Even if it is in the future. What we need to know is why the Agency is here now?"

"Wish I could say but like we said, Kahl shouldn't be here at all."

Jack tugged at his lower lip. There was something that had bothered him since yesterday.

"Monroe, can you tell me any more about your vision?"

"You mean the little boy?" Ianto asked. It had been on his mind as well all last night (well, most of it, at least).

"Yeah. It's bugging me that I don't know who he is. I can understand Steven being there but this other kid?"

"Well, maybe he is an illegitimate child of yours," Ianto said bitterly. He still felt upset that Jack had never mentioned his own family to him. Family was important. Ianto had told Jack about his family. Sure, he'd fibbed about what his father had done but still it--

"Fuck."

They all looked at Ianto in a mixture of amusement and shock.

"What, now?"

"Jack, behave. I need to think."

Ianto began to pace, hands on his hips, as he tried to gather his thoughts. Snippets of conversations from after Jack's return ran through his mind. He remembered those two days they'd lost. Jack's eyes had been red from crying and that night he had decided to tell Ianto about his childhood. When Gray had tumbled into their lives a few months later, Ianto had wondered if the boy knew his father was dead.

But what if his father wasn't dead?

"Well, while he's thinking, anything else of relevance?" Jason asked.

Susan pointed to the monitor. "Hartman was sleeping with Mr. Franklin. That's probably how she was able to get away with everything."

"Franklin?" Ianto spun around. Oh no…

A conversation about family. A mother, father, two sons. Jack had told him their names. The only name he had kept secret was his own.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Ianto?"

"I think I know who's behind this."

"Who?"

"Someone from your past. Both the boy in Jason's vision and the one behind the conspiracy. They're both from your past."

"As cute as you are when you're being enigmatic, can you just say it?" Jack asked.

The door that led into the base opened and in came Gwen. Next to her was a young woman.

Jack and Ianto both recognized her and they both pulled out their guns.

"Jack, Ianto, wait!" Gwen stepped in front of Suzie, her hands up.

"Okay, now this is a little much," Jack snapped. "How many times do I have to kill you until you stay dead?"

"Nice to see you too, Jack," Suzie said dryly. "Ianto, it's good to see you."

"Someone want to fill us in? 'Cause I'm feeling pretty lonely here," Sam said.

"We don't have time," Suzie said.

"Shut up."

"Jack, she's right. We don't have time to worry about that." Gwen stayed acting as a shield in between the two guns and Suzie. As soon as she had figured out the _who_ of the mystery she had grabbed Suzie's arm and ran for the base. She had hoped that by taking them by surprise it would go over well. She hated being wrong.

"Gwen," Jack said with clenched teeth. "Whatever she told you, you know you can't trust her."

"Jack, she told me who's behind it all."

Ianto slowly lowered his gun. He swallowed and looked at Jack.

"Gwen," he said. "I know who it is too."

Suzie laughed and shook her head. "Ah, I had a hunch that you would be able to figure it out, Ianto. You always were too smart for your own good. So go on. Tell us."

Jason moved to stand behind his fiancé. He had refrained from physical contact after this morning but the pained look in the blue eyes made him want to hold Ianto.

"Jack, I have a question to ask you," Ianto said, not taking his eyes off Suzie.

"What?"

"Your father's name… what was it?"

"Franklin. Why?"

Gwen bit her lip and met Ianto's eyes. As a parent she could easily understand the reasons the man was doing this. But she also knew that it wasn't right. So many lives had been lost because of one's man's desire to be with his wife and children.

Hart rolled his eyes and turned away from the unfolding drama. He instead looked over Susan's shoulder at the personal log entries.

_'Mr. Franklin loves me, I'm sure of it now.'_

Hart's eyes widened as he read and re-read that single sentence.

_"Your father's name… what was it?"_

His mouth fell open as he put it together. He heard Susan let out a little gasp as she too look at the words on the monitor and put it together with Ianto's question.

Ianto closed his eyes and leaned into Jason's chest for support. His breath came in slow, ragged gasps.

Gwen stepped closer to Jack and placed her hand on the gun.

"Jack," she said softly. "Put it together. Please, God, put it together."

The wheels were slowly turning but Jack's mind didn't want to figure it out.

"Jack, Jason said that the little boy said his daddy had been bad, remember?" Ianto said.

"The little boy," Gwen said. "Jack, was Gray's hair curly when he was little?"

"Yes…" No. He could not, would not… NO.

"Jack…"

Jason's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what they were saying.

"Your father… He's Mr. Franklin."

Jack's gun clattered to the floor as he allowed himself to make the connection. He stared at Gwen and then turned to look at Ianto.

His father… his father was alive. His father was alive.

Suzie spoke quietly. "There's more going on than any of you realize."

Jason's cell phone rang shrilly in the tension filled room. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller id.

"Richard, I can't talk right no-- what? When?" His eyes darted back and forth as he processed what his son was saying. "No, go to your grandparents'. Stay there." He snapped his phone shut and tried to remember to breathe. His arms instinctively wrapped around Ianto, who turned towards him.

"Jason, what is it?"

Jason pulled his fiancé as close as possible. He needed to feel something real, something good.

"Kate, Christine, Rob and Katelyn… They've been kidnapped."

For the second time since Harkness and Cooper had arrived yesterday, Jason felt his world shatter.

What Suzie said then made him angry.

"Mr. Franklin has them."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED.

I'm sorry I only have this one part but my friend had some in-depth notes he needed to go over with me for the other two. I have nearly every evening free this week, so unless the world ends or my car dies and I can't get to the free wi-fi at the bookstore, there will be another mid-week update soon.


	17. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Family Matters

_January 19, 2015. Monday morning. Torchwood Bluemont._

Slowly Jason pulled away from Ianto and turned towards Jack. His kids... Mr. Franklin, the head of the Torchwood Institute, had his kids. Mr. Franklin was Jack Harkness's father. Rage was building quickly. He needed to find his kids and get them back home where it was safe.

"Jason! Stop!" Ianto tried to hold his fiancé back but he was not as strong as the bigger man. Nor was his strength fueled by anger as it was with Jason.

In fact, Jason's very strong hands were wrapped around Jack's throat as he shoved the immortal against the wall.

"Where are they, Harkness? Where's that _fucker_ taken my kids?"

Jason's voice rose in volume. He was angry. His kids were as important to him as breathing and now they were caught up in this mess. All these years of working in crime enforcement and special ops not once had anyone threatened his children. Now his world was unraveling at the seams.

"Jason let him go!"

It may have been Sam or Jenny; Jason didn't know and quite frankly didn't care.

"Stop Jason," Ianto begged. He tugged at Jason, trying to get him away from Jack. "You'll kill him!"

Ianto held back his tears as he tried to help Jack. Already the immortal man was blue in the face and his hands were desperately trying to claw at Monroe's hands. If they didn't get Jack free soon the entire Bluemont staff would find out the man was immortal.

"Where _are_ they Harkness?"

"Jason, he doesn't know! Sam, Hart, help me!"

It took Ianto and the other two men to pull Jason away. Ianto knelt next to Jack, who breathed in ragged gasps.

"You okay?" he asked as he raised a shaky hand to his lover's face.

"Yeah. Wasn't expecting that. Caught me off-guard," Jack said as he allowed Ianto to hull him to his feet. His face was more gray than blue now, which was a good sign that he was alright.

Jack leaned heavily against Ianto as his breathing finally returned to normal. Death by strangulation was by far one of the most horrifying ways to die in his opinion. To be so physically close to the one who killed you that you could see the hatred in their eyes was always horrifying.

And a pissed off Jason Monroe was possibly the most horrifying of all.

"You okay, Jack?" Gwen asked in concern.

"Fine. Never been better." Jack looked over at the angry man and sighed. "Monroe, believe me-- if I had even the _slightest_ idea where your kids were, I'd tell you."

"But why would he take them?" Jenny said. "I mean, it's not as if they have anything to do with this, right?"

Jason's eyes were dark as night as he glared at Jack. All he could see or here was Harkness. The rest of them barely registered in his mind.

"Harkness... I swear--"

"Jason, stop please." Ianto pulled away from Jack and moved cautiously to stand before his fiancé. He reached out and placed his uninjured hand on Jason's heaving chest. Thankfully, Jason moved his eyes from Jack to Ianto; he was listening to him and hopefully it would be enough to get through to him. "I know Jack. He would never be involved in something like this."

"Really?" Jason said. "Just like he would never have been involved in the decision to sacrifice an innocent child five years ago?"

There was a deafening silence as they all looked first at Jason and then at Jack. While Jason's face was contorted with fury, Jack's was twisted with sorrow. Both men had tears in their eyes. There were only a handful of people in the world who knew just how painful a decision it had been for Jack to use Steven to stop the 456. Most of those people were in the room and were shocked that Jason had actually used one of Jack's most torturous experiences to hurt him.

"I'm not going to respond to that, since I understand why you said it," Jack murmured. He rubbed tiredly at his face and sighed. He _did_ understand; Jason had just learned that his children had been taken prisoner by someone who obviously wanted him dead. That did not mean that it was fair of him to dig up bad memories as canon fodder.

"Your father wants me dead, he's hurt my fiancé and now he's got my kids. Do you honestly expect me to believe you have nothing to do with it?"

"Do you really think I would do anything to hurt Ianto after coming all this way to find him?" countered Jack. His hands were clenched, as he had to force himself to remain calm.

"I don't know much about you at all, do I, Harkness?" Jason snapped back. "A man who can't die must have a lot of skeletons in his closet."

Ianto froze. Oh no. He'd forgotten about that conservation so long ago. Why was it that the past always haunted him from just a few steps behind?

"What did you say?"

Jack's voice was quiet. He stared at Ianto and pressed his lips into a thin line. Ianto bit his lip and tried to look away but couldn't. Guilt gnawed at his stomach as he forced himself to meet the other's gaze. He had conned his way onto the team, had nearly destroyed the world to protect Lisa, had helped open the Rift and had helped Gwen find Flat Holm Island but he had never betrayed Jack as badly as this. This was a betrayal on a much more personal level. This was worse than if he had killed Owen and Tosh or Steven himself.

"Can't stay dead? What does that mean?" Sam asked confused at the entire situation.

He wasn't the only one who was confused. Had Ianto not been so worried about Jack's reaction to this latest bout of betrayal, he would have pointed out that some things were best left unexplained.

But then again, he _was_ worried.

"Jack, I'm sorry," Ianto said softly. "It was months ago. I didn't know at that time that you hadn't abandoned me and... And Jason and I... Well, I wanted there to be no secrets between us so I--"

"Decided to share one of mine?" Jack said. His tone was harsh, he was angry and hurt. "And you chose to share _that_ particular little tidbit with him? Why not tell him about my brother or how I blame myself for Owen and Tosh or even how to play Naked Hide-N-Seek while you're at it?"

"Jack," Gwen said, deciding that now was a good time to intervene. "I really don't think that now is the time for this."

"Oh, I dunno," Hart said with a grin. "I'm interested in the rules of the game myself!"

"Me too."

They all looked at Sam, who turned a fascinating shade of red as he realized he'd spoken out loud.

"Uh... I, uh, never mind."

"Right." Gwen shook her head. "Jack, I know you're mad right now but this isn't the time to think about that. Whatever Ianto might have said isn't important. First we need to find out where Jason's kids are then we need to figure out what your father is up to."

"We can do that now," Miranda said. She turned and pointed at Suzie who had remained silent during the exchange.

The initial flurry of anger slowly subsided and Jason was able to focus on the strange woman who had come in with Gwen.

Suzie tensed as she suddenly became the center of attention.

"Suzie," Gwen said. "Tell us what you know."

"It's not that simple. Nothing is," Suzie replied.

"What do you mean?" Jenny asked.

Jack put his hurt at Ianto on hold for the moment. It would be addressed when he had the time. He spoke up, saying, "If you have any information that might help us find Monroe's kids, you have to tell us."

"Oh, don't worry Jack," Suzie drawled. "I was planning on doing just that."

"Then start talking," Jason said. He felt Ianto wrap an arm around his waist and he pulled the younger man close to him.

"Bit rude, you are," Suzie quipped. "How do you put up with it, Ianto?" She smirked at them before turning serious again. "Your kids are alright for now."

"What do you mean _'for now'_? Why does he want them?"

"They're insurance."

"For what?"

"For Ianto."

"Me? What _about_ me?"

"Mr. Franklin wants you to stay away from Ianto, Monroe."

"What?" Jason stared at her. "Why?"

"Because of Jack. He wants Ianto to be with Jack because according to the research he's done Ianto is the key to Jack's happiness."

Jack looked at her with a frown.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Does the term _'love of your life'_ mean anything to you?"

"Stop speaking in riddles," Jason said. "You two can play games, naked or clothed, when my kids are back safe."

Suzie fixed him with a hard look.

"I wish this was a game but it's not. It's a reality that has been twisted and warped from nearly every direction and the chances of it ever getting back to its own state of normal are in the negative figures."

Jack stared at his former friend and frowned. He had a sneaky suspicion that he should know what she was talking about but he couldn't drag up the answer. At least one person there was smart enough to catch on to it.

"You're talking about parallel realities," Hart said. "In the words of humans in every place and time-- Fuck."

"Parallel realities?" Shelly said. "You mean like a mirror universe?"

Hart looked at her and said, "What do you know?"

Startled that he was taking her seriously, Shelly blinked and tugged at her ponytail. She bit her lip as she thought of all the science-fiction books and shows she had watched growing up. Even now she still loved to turn on the television and watch Star Trek. Storylines about alternate dimensions were practically a science-fiction staple.

"Um, well, a mirror universe is a dimension that is similar to ours but not completely the same. Like, my boyfriend might not be my boyfriend or instead of working for Torchwood I work for a daycare. Some stuff's the same but some isn't."

Hart nodded and clapped his hands. "Ladies, Gentlemen and Eye Candy, that is it in a nutshell." He leaned back against a desk and folded his arms. "However there is more to it than that. For starters, if another reality was indeed staging a take over, mine and Jack's wrist straps would be able to pick up the energy signal. The signal is always present when two versions of the same dimension occupy the same space. Anyone know anyting else?"

"Realities are created by our decisions, both conscious and subconscious."

Hart turned his eyes to Monroe. "Go on."

Jason tightened his arms around Ianto and leaned himself against the wall. It was strange but just a couple months ago he had pondered whether he'd known Ianto in another dimension.

"When I was in London for training I studied parallel dimensions. The research stated that every single decision we make creates new versions of the same world. Each version would then continue to create more new versions based upon what the people of the dimension did. It would continue forever, each dimension becoming more dissimilar to the original version."

"What creates the new version? Think, Sunshine. Think carefully before replying."

Jason didn't have to; he knew the answer.

"We do. We create ourselves with every breath we take."

"How?" Hart asked, riveted by Monroe's voice and knowledge.

"If I'm standing in a street I have to decide what to do. I could go forwards, backwards, left, right. I could run, walk. I could stay put. Whatever I decide to do has changed my world. If I choose to go left and walk, all the other choices I could have made are made by the new versions of me that are created from the choices I _didn't_ make. Each of those Jason Monroe's will experience things differently than me because they made a different choice. The resulting experiences could be small, like my getting to my destination quicker, or big, like I get hit by a drunk driver. The decisions I make will continue to shape my world while the decisions I _didn't_ make will create others. It's a continuous cycle."

"Very good. You're more than just a pretty face and a hot body," Hart said with a grin. "How do you know so much?"

"Torchwood London had a very extensive library and there were literally rooms full of information on parallel dimensions. It wasn't too difficult to figure out."

"It's more than that, though. It's more personal, isn't it?" Hart asked softly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He didn't want to think it. He didn't want to say it.

Hart pushed himself forward and stood before the two lovers. His eyes searched Jason's face and he smiled.

"But you do. The aura around you is amazing. Most people have a small aura but yours is so incredible. It's as if there are two people fighting for dominance inside you. It's the same for him as well." He indicated Ianto. "And you can feel it, can't you Sunshine?"

"I've had dreams," Jason said. He felt as if he was standing on the other side of the room watching himself. His mouth moved without his permission. "Dreams where I met Ianto in London and then we both came here to Bluemont."

"I've had the same dream," Ianto said. He looked up. "In my dream, we met when I spilled coffee on you."

"Mine too."

Hart looked at them for a moment. "Go on. Tell us what you dream at night."

"We_ our first big fight was over watching the telly," Ianto said. "I wanted to watch a comedy--"

"And I wanted to watch the news. We went camping once and I managed to get you to admit it was fun."

"I hate Christmas," Ianto whispered. "There's so much blood_"

"Blood?" Gwen said. "Ianto, what do you mean?"

"It's everywhere." Ianto lost himself in the resurgence of his memories. "I can hardly cook. If my life depended on my baking cookies I would be in trouble. Jason always had to do the cooking. I did the washing up. The laundry was my responsibility. But it's so hard to get blood out_"

"Ianto, that's enough," Jenny said. It was obvious that whatever he was remembering was painful and it was hurting him. His blood pressure was probably through the roof.

Jack was also concerned. "Ianto, it's okay. There's no blood, see?"

"He hung him up and had him beaten right in front of me. On Christmas Day."

_"I love him…" _

_"All the more reason to make him suffer."_

Ianto could remember it all. He could remember the strange man who had accused Jason of tainting his lover's body. He could remember the way the man's hand had caressed his bruised face and the cold lips against his skin as he'd whispered in his ear.

"It's because of me. All of it. It's my fault."

Jason had already remembered this just yesterday but the battered tone (so small sounding) tore into his very soul.

_"Erase us from each other's minds and let us go."_

"Ianto, it's not your fault," Jack said. "Whatever happened, whatever you remember, you have to believe that!"

"But it is. I fell in love with Jason when I was supposed to fall in love with you. And he wanted to kill Jason because of that."

"But you convinced him to make us forget instead."

Jason could feel the iciness he'd felt that bitter Christmas Day when Mr. Franklin had agreed to erase their memories.

_"I promise I'll find you…Don't forget any of it."_

Jason closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"You kept your promise," Ianto said. "You found me again."

He turned and buried his face against Jason's neck as the tears broke free.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kate was badly shaken. She had spent the last few hours reliving her most painful memories. Now she was strapped to a chair in a small room that had no light. She was not fond of the dark. The only thing that kept her from screaming was the thought of her children. Whatever this madman wanted her to do, she would do it. All that mattered at that point in her life was the children's safety.

"So sorry to keep you waiting. I trust you're comfortable?"

She tried to find the source of the voice but it was pitch black in the room. It didn't sound like it came from an audio speaker so she had to assume that he was in the room with her.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"My name is Franklin. Everyone knows me as 'Mr.', but it is my given name not that of my family."

Yes, definitely in the room. From the way the air moved she guessed he was behind and a little to the left of her.

"What do you want?"

"Many things. But we'll get to all that later. What I want to talk about right now Mrs. Monroe is your husband."

"Jason? I knew this was his fault."

"Indeed. He exists therefore I will punish him."

"Punish? What for?"

"He seduced Ianto Jones away from my son."

"What? He stole your son's boyfriend so you kidnap my children?"

Unbelievable! She'd always known that there were crazy people out there but she'd pictured them as little old homeless men with shopping carts full of trash. Not fathers determined to protect their children's honor.

"Do you know anything about parallel worlds and personal timelines, Mrs. Monroe?"

"What?" It sounded like something the boys had watched on television. Parallel worlds?

"I take it that's a 'no'. That's alright. You're rather like Ianto Jones; you're both pretty enough that you don't have much need for brains."

She felt insulted. It was true that she had used her looks to her advantage but she was not stupid. Naive perhaps, sheltered certainly but not stupid.

"Oh now, don't be angry with me. Your looks alone have gotten you far in life. There's no need to wear out your brain when you can use your body instead."

"Bastard!"

"Ah, there's the fire that first attracted Monroe to you! If I weren't far too busy trying to save my son I would gladly take the time to break you. You would be an ideal bedmate."

Disgusted she glowered into the blackness. As if she would _ever_ let this man touch her.

"Now then, Mrs. Monroe. What do you know about your husband's job?"

The tone and the question threw her for a loop. The man had gone from sexual harassment to conversational in the blink of an eye.

"I-- what?" she said. "What about his job? He works for a special ops group."

"Yes, yes. But what do you _know_ about it? How _special_ is it?"

"I don't understand_"

"Aliens dear lady. Your husband hunts down aliens." He chuckled. "And yet his greatest adversary is human."

Aliens_ was it really possible? Christine had mentioned aliens before. Was she telling the truth?

"So you knew nothing about it." Again he chuckled. "That's why he was in London. He was being trained to seek out and destroy alien threats. It was there that he met Ianto Jones. They fell hopelessly in love and Jones came back with him. They worked together for years before they retired. Their deaths were only a short time apart and they had lived full, happy lives."

"But they've only been together for a few months." Her brain felt as if it were on fire. This was too much for her to take in.

"Before I changed the time lines they were together for well over sixty years. They were very happy together."

He had moved closer. She could feel the air directly behind her move as he stepped up to the chair.

"But I changed all that. You see, my son, my beloved son had fallen for Ianto Jones. At some point he met and fell in love with the stupid boy. The little incident a few years ago when the world's children joined their voices together got Ianto Jones killed. My son lost the love of his life and never recovered. That is unacceptable." His voice had hardened and the temperature in the room dropped.

The sound of breathing made Kate close her eyes. She knew he was right behind her and she could do nothing.

"I only want my son to be happy. For that I needed Ianto Jones alive. He had to meet my son. I didn't go back far enough though. I had hoped to stop him from ever meeting your husband but time travel is a messy business. So instead I had to get Ianto away from your husband. I then erased their memories of each other and sent them on to their new lives."

"So then there used to be a world like this one where Jason and Ianto were together but here they're not?"

There were gaps in that, she could tell.

"Why didn't you just keep going back until you could prevent them meeting?"

It would have made sense, after all.

"I tried but I just couldn't get there."

Kate thought he sounded like a pouting child when he said that.

"Why not? If you could go back once then why not do it again?"

"Because there's something blocking me from doing that. Something will not allow me to fix things."

She thought she could hear him grind his teeth together and she shivered.

"You mentioned time lines," she prompted. If she could keep him talking then maybe she could figure out a way to convince him to let them go (or at least the children).

"Yes! I will tell you about time lines."

_Oh great, _she thought._ Another man who likes the sound of his own voice_. At least Jason never used that tone when he talked.

"Time lines are the history of a person or group of people. They can be changed if you have the knowledge and the right tools. They must also be viewed from start to finish if one hopes to understand and change them. That is the where my mistake came. You see, I had thought my entire family dead. All I wanted was to find a way to get them back. While researching I notice a name pop up in history over many centuries. I began to investigate and learned that it was my son. My son was not only alive but had lived for thousands of years. But he was sad and lonely. I did not like that he was in pain so I looked through his time line and concluded that it was because of Ianto Jones's death that he had become so sad."

Mr. Franklin placed a hand on the back of Kate's neck and began to caress the skin.

"I wanted to prevent the pain. I thought if I saved Ianto Jones then it would all be alright. But I miscalculated. Instead of saving him I had caused his death. My son's pain was because of me." He drew in a deep breath. "So I looked back even farther and that was when I found the alternate time line."

"Alternate time line?"

"The time line from before. Before I changed everything. The time line where your husband lived a long life with Ianto Jones and the boy never met my son." He stopped caressing and gripped lightly. "Somehow the time line had changed. I don't know how exactly but I like to think that it was because I knew it had to be done and so it changed on its own accord."

Kate licked her lips and mulled it over in her head. Jason had originally met Ianto and spent many years with him. But something had gone back in time and made it so that this man could erase their memories and separate them. Something that was greater and smarter than Mr. Franklin.

"You really think that desire alone can change things? My, how arrogant! But then again, arrogance breeds stupidity." She forced her shrill laughter to sound natural.

"You stupid bitch_ I am capable of great things! I changed time with out lifting a finger!"

"And yet you couldn't go back as far as you wanted, could you?" Kate said nastily. "You wanted to keep them from meeting but it didn't work. They met so you erased their memories. But they _still_ met and _still_ fell in love. Great things? Great mistakes is more like it!"

The hand closed around her and pulled her to her feet. She felt the air rush from her body as it slammed into a wall.

"You have made me very angry, Mrs. Monroe. Tell me, what is it you fear the most?"

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

Suzie watched as Ianto's emotions got the better of him. She had not intended for him to have a break down but there was nothing she could do.

She looked over at Jack. It was painfully obvious that he wanted to comfort his lover but was unsure if he should.

_I helped him do this to them. I could have stopped it. If I had trusted Jack enough to tell him about Mr. Franklin then none of this would have happened._

"See what you've done?"

John Hart met her eyes from across the room.

"See what happens when people mess with things they don't understand?" he asked quietly. "Humankind's greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. You become so curious that you destroy everything around you. One day, sooner than you all think, human beings will travel beyond this solar system and experience many things. And humans should not experience many of those things. Curiosity can be useful but generally it brings destruction."

"John," Jack said. "Stop." He forced himself to turn away from the weeping young man and looked at Suzie.

She didn't need him to speak to hear his question.

"Your father got it wrong. He tried to change things for the better but he actually was the one that got Ianto killed. Ianto wasn't supposed to meet you ever."

"Why? Did he say why not?"

"I think it's obvious Jack," Suzie replied. "You come from a different time. You were born 3,000 years from now. Realistically, you never would have met Ianto if not for time travel. But by coming into the past you changed time for everyone. People you've met you were never to meet because they'll be long dead in your time."

"And because of my father wanting to reunite me with Ianto a new dimension was created."

"He wanted to keep them from meeting but I guess he wasn't able to get back far enough. So he had to prevent Ianto from dying."

"How did he do that?" Gwen asked. "I saw his body. Oh, sorry Sweetheart!" she said as Ianto whimpered.

"He used a bit of technology from the future. I was sent to Torchwood Cardiff to watch over Jack and wait for Ianto. I was supposed to implant the device but I knew you were all onto me for those murders so I ran. Mr. Franklin then sent someone else to implant it later."

"Who?"

"I don't know. It was shortly before the 456."

"What does it do?" Jenny asked.

"It forms a sort of inner defense against things like disease and major physical damage."

"Wait a minute! Harper said something about a kiss," Jason said suddenly. "That a kiss saved Ianto."

"My kisses do have healing energy," Jack admitted. "Ianto died once before and I was able to save him."

"So why didn't you do it again?" Miranda asked.

"I've only been able to do that a few times and it only works if it's right after death. The longest I've been able to wait is ten minutes. Ianto had already been dead for a few hours."

"You could have tried," Miranda pointed out.

"Anyway_ I kissed Ianto in the lift a few minutes before the virus was let loose in the room with us. I guess I'd kissed him enough times that the energy had built itself up. With the right technology, it might have been enough to save him."

"So then you _are_ immortal," Jenny said in amazement. At the other's looks she rolled her eyes. "What part of that he can't die did you all miss?"

"Okay," Gwen said. "So this advanced technology and energy from Jack's kisses keeps Ianto alive even though he appears dead. Well, I guess it was good luck that Jack chose to freeze Ianto before burying him and that the cryogenic technology is built to last. Otherwise he would have ended up dying from lack of oxygen."

"Yeah, thanks for that," Ianto mumbled from somewhere around Jason's neck.

"I think your father knew you would preserve his body Jack. Shortly after the burial he had Ianto brought to our base. It was there Ianto revived," Suzie added.

"What about the _'visitors'_ Ianto received?" Jason asked.

"Holograms. He used holograms to make Ianto think he wasn't wanted."

"Wait a second!" Sam exclaimed. "If this guy wanted to keep them apart then way the hell did he send Ianto _here_?"

"He didn't," Suzie stated. "The UNIT officers working for him did. Because Jack came by their base a lot they were worried he would find Ianto so they sent him away."

"But why send him _here_? Why not send him somewhere else away from Jason?"

"They probably didn't know not to. Mr. Franklin is very good about not sharing information. Kahl and I only know what we do because he wanted to tell us."

"Kahl?" Jack said. "You're both working for my_ For him?"

"Yes." Suzie placed a hand on her stomach and then lowered it. "He doesn't know I'm here. I stole a Vortex Manipulator and snuck off the base."

"Which means once they find out you're gone," Gwen said. "They'll come looking. Dammit."

"I don't mean to interupt," Jenny said. "But I have to ask you something Suzie."

"What?"

"How far along are you?"

Ianto's sobbing ceased as he jerked his head up and around to stare at his former colleague. Everyone else also looked at the young woman who swallowed nervously.

"I don't--"

"Not only am I a doctor but I'm also a mother. I can tell when a woman is pregnant. Do I have to ask who the father is?"

"It's Kahl. But he doesn't know."

"Suzie." Jack stared at her in shock.

"I want to tell him but I think the fate of _everything_ is a little more important that a bastard child."

"Not just any child, but a child of two times," Hart said. "Amazing."

"Like Alice," Gwen said. She winced at the look in Jack's eyes at the mention of his estranged daughter.

Ianto closed his eyes and pressed his face back against Jason's neck. He breathed in Jason's scent. It always brought him comfort and made him feel safe, just like Jack's did.

Just like Jack's.

He buried his nose in the hollow of Jason's throat and inhaled. It was such a familiar but much more subtle scent. And so pleasing to his senses.

Just like Jack's.

"Ianto, what is it?"

"Jason_ You smell good."

"Thanks but I don't--"

"Hart! Get over here."

"What is it?" Hart asked.

"Smell him."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Smell him. Do anything else and I will kill you. _Smell him_."

"Okay_" Hart stepped as close to Jason as he could with Ianto in the way and leaned close enough to smell him.

It was a familiar but weak scent that only people with an evolved sense of smell or who had been exposed to it before would recognize it for what it was.

"51st century pheromones. Oh my!" Hart stared at Jason. "Coupled with those of this time. My, my, Sunshine! Looks as if your own closet's got a couple of skeletons in it!"

"Back off, Hart. And what the hell are you talking about?" Jason snapped.

"Which of your parents is from the 51st century?"

"You're insane."

"Most likely. Now answer the question."

"Neither."

"Then explain why you have 51st century pheromones."

"I don't."

"You do."

Ianto's mind was racing as he tried to think. He had known the scent was familiar but pheromones were rather unique to each individual, right? So why did Jason smell so much like Jack?

Conversations over dinner and during movies ran through his head. In the few months he'd been involved with Jason he had learned a great deal about his fianc_'s family. His father had come from Greece as a young man and had met his mother Adeliyah. They had married and raised their children in Michigan. The family practiced many Geek traditions, such as Lent for Easter, and Jason and his siblings spoke fluent Greek.

"Jason, where did you say you mother was from?" he asked.

"What? Mom was an orphan."

"Is Monroe a Greek surname?"

"Probably the root of one. Why?"

"What was your mother's maiden name?"

"I don't know. She's been Adeliyah Monroe since before I was born. It's never been brought up."

"Adeliyah Monroe?" Jack gasped. "That's your mother's name?"

"Yes, why?"

"I knew she was here… but I didn't realize. God, that time I saw her she had gotten so much older."

Jason stared at Harkness. It was then that he noticed the facial features. The straight nose and shape of his chin were so much like that of…

"Harkness," Jason said slowly. "What's your _real_ name?"

"Jace. My name is Jace."

Jason's eyes widened.

"My mother named me after her cousin," he said.

"Adeliyah," Jack whispered. "Was my cousin's name."

The two men stared at each other. This could not be possible.

And then it became too much for Jason.

His fiancé's former lover had returned. The same man's father kidnapped his children and ex-wife. The father wanted to change time so that his fiancé never met him and instead would be with the former lover. And now he had just learned that his fiancé's former lover was also his mother's cousin from the 51st century.

"Jason hold on! Jenny, quick, help him!"

And with that Jason Monroe passed out cold.


	18. Chapter 15

* There's a lot of dialogue at the beginning but it serves a purpose. It tells a story and gives us more insight into some of the characters. There's also a racy scene between two of the characters and the F-word is used a few times.

Chapter 15: One Answer

_January 20, 2015. Tuesday morning. Lansing, Michigan._

Adeliyah sighed softly as she washed the breakfast dishes. It had been just a few days ago that she had been chatting with her neighbor telling the other woman that the entire family was hopeful Jason and Ianto would marry in the spring. Now though there was no talk of a wedding, spring or otherwise.

Now her other children had come to the house to lend whatever support they could to their brother who was much too far away. She was confident that her youngest was working diligently to find his children and ex-wife. What she did not understand was why they had been kidnapped in the first place.

Sunday evening Jason's son Richard had received an email from Christine that contained only the word _'help'_. Christine Monroe was not the sort to play immature pranks or cry wolf. Luckily Richard was smart enough to realize that and had tried to call his mother. _'Tried'_ being the appropriate term. Kate had not answered the phone. She might have been many things, but Kate Monroe cared about her children and always left her phone on and fully charged. His gut told him that something was seriously wrong and so Richard had contacted the police. In just a few hours it had been determined that Kate, Christine, Rob and Katelyn Monroe had been kidnapped. Because of Jason's strong connections with the police, the kidnapping had been made a top priority. Once they had finished questioning Richard (and he had calmed himself down) they had allowed him to call his father.

If she was sure of anything, it was that Jason Monroe would rip apart the planet to protect his family. Whoever had taken them would be fortunate to die quickly once he was finished with them.

"Mom, Jason's on the phone," Tula said as she came into the kitchen. The cordless was in her hand and a pensive expression on her face. She was only a couple years older than Jason so they had been close. She was devastated but would do whatever her brother needed her to do.

"Thank you, Sweetheart." Adeliyah dried her hands on a dishtowel and took the phone. "Jason? How are you holding up?"

"Mom, I need to talk to you."

"Of course."

"In private. There's something I need to ask you and I don't want anyone else to hear it."

He was using the tone he used when he was not in a good mood and needed answers. It was commonly referred to as the _'I'm-Jason-Monroe-and-you-will-listen-to-me-or-else'_ tone. It had been used on everyone: family, friend and colleagues. Everyone knew to not even try to fight it; it was just easier to go along with whatever he said. To date there was only one person that she knew of who had not been intimidated by that tone (besides her, of course) but then, Ianto Jones was a special person.

So Adeliyah took off her apron and made her way through the house to the door that led up to the attic. It was her special place. Whenever she needed some time alone or was upset she would climb the steps and sit in the chair by the shuttered window. She kept her precious memories of her life so long ago stored here. Only Jason had ever tried to go into the room. Even Stavros stayed away. Her husband knew very little about her past but he respected her need for privacy. He knew that she would never return to her old existence but that she wanted to always remember it. That was why only she had the key and Jason had been punished when he'd attempted to pick the lock as a child. This was her room of memories.

Now she sat in her chair and instinctively reached for the photo album that lay on the side table.

"I'm in the attic," she said into the phone. Her fingers absently flipped through the pages of worn out photographs surrounded by inscriptions.

"Mom, I have to ask you something that may sound strange but I need to know."

"What is it then?"

She looked down at a picture of her cousin. He was barely a man, fresh in his uniform and with a scowl pasted onto his face as he tried to appear stern.

"When were you born?"

"What?"

"What century were you born in?"

"Jason, what are you going on about?" Her forehead creased as she wondered what brought this on.

"Mom, I need to know. Please tell me."

"Jace--"

"Were you born 3,000 years from now? The 51st century?"

Adeliyah closed her eyes against both the onslaught of memories and the barely concealed anger in the words.

"Mom?"

"Yes. I was born 3,000 years in the future."

"Did Dad know?"

"He knew, a little. He accepted it."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He was hurt by the lack of trust, she could tell.

"Not for the reasons you think, Sweetheart," she said. "I never told any of you because I didn't see the point. It was a long time ago and I'm not that person anymore."

"What happened? How did you come here?"

Had it been anyone else Adeliyah would have thought they were mocking her but she knew her son. Jason's personality would not permit him to be that cruel, especially not to his mother.

"The planet I lived on, the Boeshane Peninsula, was destroyed. There was some kind of explosion that ripped the planet apart from within."

"Go on," Jason said quietly.

"We'd just gotten word that my cousin Jace wouldn't be home for a holiday when the alarms went off. I remember hearing someone say it was a temporal explosion. Something had ripped open time and space and it was killing the planet."

"How did you survive?"

"Sheer luck. My father was a scientist. He had been working on a small ship that could travel into the core of a planet or even a black hole without being crushed. It was still just a prototype but it was almost ready for the science academy on Earth to look over it. I had been in the house looking through my scrapbook when the alarms sounded. Father grabbed me and pulled me into his workshop. He shoved me into the ship and told me to go."

"What happened next?"

"He'd programmed the ship to take me to Earth. We had friends there and my cousin was stationed there as well. He then sent the ship into orbit." She blinked back the tears she felt at reliving that last day. "He told me not to watch but I couldn't obey him. I had always done what he asked me before but I couldn't this time. I looked at the monitor and watched as my home was destroyed."

"But how did you end up in this time? You came into the past. How did you do it?"

"I'm not completely sure. The ship was hit by rubble and all I could see was light. There was so much light. The numbers on the control panel showed the date but as I held onto my chair for balance I noticed that as the light grew less intense the numbers were moving backwards. There was a sound, like a balloon popping, and I crashed. I passed out before the light faded. When I woke up I saw the date: November 12, 1942. It didn't take me long to figure out that I was out of my time and trapped on Earth."

"How did you know it was Earth?"

"Earth history is required for all students, even those of us who were living on colony worlds. It's the birthplace of the human species and so we all learn about it in school. There's also the fact that my father had programmed the coordinates on the ship for that of Earth. The coordinates were locked into the computer but not the date."

She could hear her son breathing softly as he digested this information. She idly wondered if he thought her mad or if he wanted to know more.

"Jason, why are you asking me about this?" she asked.

"Your cousin, Jace: did you ever see him again?"

"Once. I'm not certain how but he also became trapped in the past. Remember when you found my mother's ring? A few weeks later your father took me to England. Jace was there too." She smiled as she remembered seeing him standing there all handsome and dashing in his RAF great coat. Even though she was married and had aged too much he had still sent pleasant chills through her body.

"What did you talk about?"

"Not much. I didn't have the courage to tell him his mother was dead and the planet gone. He had already lost his little brother Gray and his father. It would have killed him to know that only the two of us were left."

"Mom, there's someone who would like to speak to you."

Adeliyah frowned at the abrupt change of tone. She nearly dropped her photo album when she heard the painfully dear voice come down through the line.

"Hello Adeliyah."

"Jace?" she whispered. "Is it you?"

"It's me. I go by Jack now, though."

"You… you sound just as you that day on the bridge. But it's been years, decades since that day."

"There's a lot to explain but right now there's no time."

She recognized the tone for what it was. Jace -- _Jack_ -- was trying to help Jason find the children.

"Later then. The children…" she trailed off.

"I can't explain it but did you ever see a picture of my father?" Jack asked.

"Yes. I had a photo album with me when I left Boeshane. There are pictures of the entire family in it."

"Adeliyah, my father didn't die. The invaders didn't kill him, at least not permanently."

"And you think he kidnapped Kate and the children?"

"You always were quick on the uptake," Jack chuckled. "Yeah, he took them."

"Why? I mean, they can't mean anything to him!"

"I doubt he knows they're related to him," Jack said. "But I think that after the invasion something caused him to snap. His mind has been damaged and he is trying to fix things but is making a mess of it."

"But why the children?" Why her precious grandchildren? They hadn't hurt anyone.

"It doesn't matter."

"Harkness, give me the phone."

"No, Monroe, it doesn't matter," Jack said firmly. "What matters is getting them all back safe and stopping him."

She could easily picture her cousin and her son fighting over the telephone. Using her cousin's name had been a good choice for her youngest child. He was so much like Jace it was uncanny.

Jace-- _Jack_ cursed colorfully and Adeliyah knew her son had won the battle.

"Mom."

"Jason, why did he take them?"

"Because he thinks I stole Ianto from Jack."

Her eyes closed and she sighed. She knew a great deal about her uncle Franklin from her aunt and her father. The man had doted on his sons and was never satisfied with what he had. Her father had told her that Franklin's sole purpose had been to spoil his sons rotten. It was not that difficult for her to imagine that the man would be so upset at his son's pain that he would cause so much havoc.

"I want you to tell me everything later but right now I'm sure you have work to do. My grandchildren and their mother need to come home."

"And they will. One more thing before I go. The ship you came here on, do you still have it?" Jason asked.

"I hid it right after I crashed. Your father pays a hefty amount of money every month to keep it locked away in a storage facility not far from the house."

"And the computer is still there?"

"I doubt it works but you're welcome to it."

"Alright, here's the deal. I'll be sending someone to the house today to get the computer. It'll be someone from your time as well as one of my people. Just give them directions and the key and don't tell anyone."

"I take it then that someone there has a wrist strap that is also a mini computer?"

"His name is John Hart -- shut up! She doesn't care about your rank and it's probably not legit anyway! Sorry, Mom. Hart's an idiot. Just ignore the pompous attitude."

"Of course," she said in a dry tone. "Sweetheart, how's Ianto? Is he alright or has he been taken too?"

"He's fine. A bit upset but that's all. I think it's all been a bit too much for him. I had Jenny pump him full of sedatives last night so he could sleep."

"He'll chew you out for that I'm sure!"

"No doubt," came the rueful reply. "I need to go. We have to try to figure out where the kids are before we can do anything."

"I'll pray then that there's something in the ship that will help."

"Thanks Mom."

"Jason, one question and then I'll hang up."

"Go ahead."

"How is it that all this talk of time travel and aliens doesn't affect you?"

There was silence so thick she felt she could reach out and touch it.

"It's what I do. Remember those robot things that tore apart the building I trained at in London? That building was part of an institute that studies and hunts aliens. It's my job to not be affected by those kinds of things."

"Torchwood?"

"How did you know?"

"When in England there were rumors about it. No one knew what it was but there were lots of guesses. Most of the correct, it seems."

"Mom, I gotta go. I promise I'll keep you updated. Just… sit tight and keep an eye on Rich."

"I will." She looked down at the page the album was open to. It was a picture of Jace, Gray and their parents. She bit her lip as tears began to fall.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too. Give Ianto a kiss for me."

"I will. Bye."

She set the phone down and covered her face with her hands.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kahl frowned as he listened to the sobs that came from the prone figure on an examination table. The woman had been chained to the table for nearly two hours as the machine manifested her fears in the form of visions.

It was not too much of a stretch for him to believe that the idea of her four children and ex-husband being tortured and killed in many horrible ways was the thing she feared the most.

Now he turned his attention to the large monitor affixed to the wall. Although Kate was seeing the images in her mind the machine was able to transfer those images to the screen for everyone to see. It was rather disturbing to watch as the woman envisioned each of her children being raped, mutilated, shot, stabbed… The list was endless it seemed.

He supposed most parents worried that much about their offspring but it still disturbed him at the graphic detail. There was no way for him to tell if the detail came directly from her consciousness or if the machine supplied it. The machine, taken from the Prison of Ten'lai, was used to amplify empathic abilities. It could then break through to the hidden parts of the mind to learn all about a person. Just as the Ten'lai'nak used it to seek out the worst parts of a person, so did Mr. Franklin. All of Kate Monroe's fallibilities were laid out for study. Every single character flaw was utilized to create the perfect nightmare world.

The only question Kahl had now was how long would she last?

"Miss Costello has taken an extended vacation it would seem."

Kahl maintained a nonchalant stance and shrugged. The other man stood beside him also entranced by the woman's bleak mental imagery. It sickened the Time Agent just how much his master was enjoying this.

"So?"

"Aren't you even a bit concerned?" Mr. Franklin asked.

"Obviously she couldn't handle it. She's too much female to be able to see beyond all this. She can't see your vision."

"My lovely Yvonne is female."

"But she's empty in her mind, because of the Cybers," Kahl pointed out. "Before that she was too wrapped up in romance and frilliness to appreciate what we're accomplishing here."

"Females, particularly human females, are really good for only one thing," Mr. Franklin said. He looked sideways at him and added, "Which you apparently agree with as you dallied with the little whore."

What Kahl felt for his lover was not romantic, fiery love. He saw her as an escape from this Hell and as a friend. Most Time Agents only had a handful of people they could call friends, if they were lucky. It came with the territory of time travel, deceit and espionage. They had all gotten used to it but he had to admit it was nice to have someone he could talk to. Even though he was not in love with Suzie, it was very difficult for him to nod his head at the filthy insult. She didn't deserve that; she was as much a victim as Monroe's kids and Ianto Jones.

"She was just a female," he said in agreement. Inwardly he seethed.

"Still, she needs to be punished. And as she's unavailable…"

The double doors opened and two UNIT soldiers stood flanking a man in a gray military jacket.

"You know Keinder, correct? Former partner of yours from the Agency I believe. Don't worry, Kahl. I've instructed him to not damage you too much."

Kahl had expected something like this. He had already accepted that he would be punished in Suzie's stead.

He shrugged and started forward, not even considering reaching for his gun. It would do him no good. As much as he preferred death to this, he wanted to give Suzie time to do whatever it was she was trying to do before he died.

"Let's go then," he said.

~_~_~

Several hours had passed since her mother had been taken from the cell and Christine was seriously worried. She had no way of knowing what was happening or if her mother was even alive. The only thing that kept her calm was that she had to be the responsible one and take care of the other two.

Rob and Katelyn sat in a corner talking quietly about their day at school. It was something to pass the time as well as take their minds off the current situation.

She listened to them as they chatted about classes and the school play that Katelyn hoped to star in. For a minute -- just a minute -- she pretended that they were at the house and it was just an ordinary day. She closed her eyes and imagined that it was raining, just wet enough to prevent outdoor fun. In her mind she could see the large quilt her grandmother had sewn lying on the back of the couch and the television was on. She had just started to daydream about what to watch when the door to the cell opened and the man from before stood in the doorway.

Her shock at his physical appearance was matched by the disappointment that her mother was not with him.

"Where's my mother?" she asked as she rose to her feet.

Kahl turned his battered face towards her and frowned.

"It isn't your concern."

"She's my--"

"And she would want you all to be safe, wouldn't she?"

Christine closed her mouth.

He spoke again, slowly, in an almost gentle voice.

"I know you want answers. You are going to have to have faith. In your parents and in the others. People are looking for you so believe in them."

"Can't you let us go home?" Katelyn asked.

"No. There is more at stake than just the four of you. I don't expect any of you to understand."

"It's something to do with Dad, isn't it?" Rob asked. "Or maybe Ianto. Mom says he's trouble."

"Perceptive but incorrect. Yes, it involves your father's lover but the man is innocent of this."

"Then why--"

"I can't answer that. All I can do is make certain that you are unharmed for as long as possible."

Instantly she felt wary and afraid again.

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

"It means that so long as you do nothing to draw attention to yourselves there is a chance that you will survive to see tomorrow. However long it takes for us to get there."

"So basically you want us to sit down and shut up?" she snapped.

"Yes." Kahl looked over his shoulder and then reached out to Christine. His fingers snatched off the necklace she wore and she let out a squeal.

"You!"

She was about to curse at him in every language she knew, including pig Latin, when he winked at her.

"Try to behave, Princess."

She stood stock-still as he limped out the door.

If she had inherited one thing from Jason Monroe it was the trust she had in her gut. And her gut was telling her that the man who had taken her and the others hostage was not her enemy.

"Be careful," she murmured.

~_~_~

_January 27, 2015. Tuesday late afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont._

It had been nine days since the kidnapping and one week since Jason had learned the truth about his heritage. The staff at Torchwood Bluemont worked with Captain Harkness and his team to find the location of Mr. Franklin's Time/Dimension station.

Suzie Costello had told them everything she could about the station and the plan to take over the Earth in the 21st century.

"Your father thinks you can make him like you," she had said. "Then he intends on resurrecting your mother and finding your brother."

"Why?"

"He wants to create an empire that he will rule. He wants to control the Earth and he wants his family there with him."

"My brother is dead. When the Hub was destroyed, his body was too."

John Hart had then elected to speak up by saying, "Once he learns that, he'll probably try to go back in time to save Gray as well as your mother. The time line will continue to fall apart."

It had been a warning disguised as an observation. Jack's greatest regret had always been that he'd let go of his brother's hand that day. The fact that the result was the too early death of his lover only made his pain worse. If Jack had managed to protect his little brother so long ago then maybe he would never have left home and would have been able to save his people from destruction.

Now the immortal Captain was pouring through a stack of files that concerned time lines and parallel dimensions. He had been reading for hours in hopes of finding something that would tell him where his father was hiding.

He rubbed his eyes and reached for another folder when the tantalizing aroma of the galaxy's best coffee trickled through his nose.

"Ianto."

"Sir," the other man said with a smile. He set the plain white mug on the table and took the seat next to the Captain.

"Is that for me?"

"Yup. I figured you could use a little pick me up."

"You figured right. I think my eyes are ready for a nap."

"Turn around."

"What for?"

"You've been down here for hours hunched over the table. Your back will never forgive you."

With a grin, Jack turned. The moment he felt the nimble fingers dig into his flesh, he let out a moan.

"Careful," warned Ianto. "If Jason hears you, he'll probably take it the wrong way."

"It's not fair."

"What's not?"

"I have to watch myself but he gets to go home with you every night."

"Jack," Ianto sighed. "I can't turn off my feelings. If I could then I'd be a Cyberman."

"I know that. It's just… He gets to touch you, hold you. I get nothing."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Ianto's hands still moving.

"Why did you get upset each time I called us a 'couple'? I had assumed that you wanted us to be more when you stopped staying at the Hub most nights and started restocking the kitchen."

"I did."

"So then why--"

"Because I was scared that someone would see how much I loved you and use you to get to me. I have a lot of enemies, Ianto. Any one of them might have taken you and forced me to choose between Earth and you. I couldn't handle that."

"You would have made the right choice, Jack. The Earth is bigger that either of us."

"Not to me."

Ianto closed his eyes at the broken whisper.

"Is that also why you never mentioned your daughter?"

"Partly. Ianto," Jack turned and faced him. "I had to protect you and her and Steven. The three most important people to me were my greatest weakness."

"Okay," Ianto said. "I can understand that. I only told you I had a sister who was married with children and nothing else about them. But why did you get so upset when I asked you about the children from the orphanage?"

"Secrets are a major part of who I am." Jack touched a finger to Ianto's lips to forestall the protest. "I was barely an adult when I joined the Time Agency. They train you to keep secrets; it's part of the job. When I met the Doctor I didn't know if I could trust him. When I came to Earth to look for him I was treated like a freak everywhere I went. The only reason I even stayed on at Torchwood was because I needed to be there when the Doctor came back. There was no one I could trust to tell my secrets to. I had no one I could rely on. Each time I thought I'd found someone, they stabbed me in the back." He smiled a little. "One of them literally."

"What about Alex? He was your friend. You told him about your immortality," Ianto said.

"And less than a month later he killed the team and blew his own head off," Jack pointed out. He sighed and leaned back in his seat. "It took me a few months to find replacements and even though I trusted them to do their job and follow my orders, I didn't trust them enough to tell them anything about me."

"If she hadn't seen you die, would you have told Gwen?"

The old jealousy was still there, lurking in the deep blue depths of Ianto's eyes. That gave Jack hope that he still had a chance to make a life with his lover.

"Not at that time," he said. He picked up the mug and took a sip. "Gwen found out by accident. I had been considering telling you because I trusted you."

"And then I let a Cyberman loose in the Hub."

"Yeah. You know what made me forgive you?"

"What?"

"That you did it for love." Jack smiled at him over the rim of the mug. "While you were suspended I tried to think of how to make it better, to make things right. Then you did it all on your own."

Ianto's brow furrowed as he looked at him.

"How? I mean, my coffee's good but not that good!"

"By being there for me after the faeries."

Jack had been a wreck after the faeries had taken the little girl. The rest of the team had given him the silent treatment for a few days but Ianto had offered his company to the grief-stricken man. They had spent hours each day talking while they worked. Jack had even cried in Ianto's arms a couple of times.

"It was obvious that she wanted to go and that there as nothing we could do. One life or the world." Ianto smiled sadly at him. "Seems like you have to make that decision a lot."

It was true. Too many times Jack had been forced to sacrifice a single life to save the world. Lisa had been killed to stop the resurgence of the Cybermen. Jasmine had been allowed to leave with the faeries. Beth, a Sleeper agent, had made them kill her to prevent her alien side from coming out. Tommy had been forced to return to the past to iron out a wrinkle in Time. A dozen orphaned children had been given as a 'gift' to greedy aliens. His own grandson had been placed on the alter to stop those same aliens when they returned.

Too many times he'd had to pick the world over someone innocent.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kahl stood in his room. In his hand he held the necklace. He wasn't sure why he'd taken it but he knew there was a reason.

"Keep your eyes on the bigger picture. If Mr. Franklin changes the past anymore, those kids will be better off dead."

He sighed as he recalled that conversation with Suzie. She had been correct that Monroe's children would be used as a bargaining tool to make the man capitulate. It was why she had left, he was sure of it. He would do what he could to buy her time to help stop this madness but he knew it was going to be tough.

"Try to hurry up, Suzie. I don't know how long I can stall."

~_~_~

_January 29, 2015. Thursday afternoon. Apartment above the grocer._

Jason closed the door and pushed the button to start the washer. The laundry had piled up over the last week and a half so he had decided to tackle it. Jenny had rallied everyone together to force him to take the day off. Ianto had chosen to go home with him and make sure he rested.

"You're making me break my promise to the others."

"Sorry, but we're out of clean towels."

"We can buy new ones."

"I need to stay busy." Jason opened the dryer and began to fill a basket with the dry clothes.

"Alright. Then how about something better that laundry?"

Jason turned and the retort died before he could even open his mouth.

Ianto stood in the doorway wearing the purple tee shirt he'd claimed for pajamas. The thin material clung to his body in such a way that Jason's own body reacted.

He licked his lips as Ianto yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

"Oh, I'm rather tired myself. I think I'll take a nap."

Jason watched as his fiancé turned and sauntered over to the bed. His pupils dilated as those slender hands rubbed at the muscles in the lower back and made the shirt ride up, revealing the taut bottom beneath.

Ianto peered over his shoulder at him.

"Are you coming?'

He smiled and stalked towards the Welshman.

"I will be soon."

Ianto's fingers made short work of the undressing of his partner. Neither man even considered removing the purple shirt.

A gasp escaped the younger man as Jason bit lightly at the tender flesh of his inner thigh.

"Higher…" Ianto demanded.

Jason couldn't not obey when Ianto used that bossy tone. He slowly licked his way up to the junction of thigh and hip and peppered the soft skin with wet, open-mouthed kisses. Just inches from his lips, Ianto's arousal felt so warm and smelled so good.

"Jason."

He raised his eyes to meet the desire in the blue orbs as his tongue lapped a path around the base of the hardened flesh. There was no way he would ever tire of this. Ianto was his equivalent in every aspect.

"Take me."

He lifted his head and smiled. "So greedy, Mr. Jones."

"Can I help it if you turn me on?" Ianto said. He grabbed Jason's broad shoulders and tugged him upwards until the larger body completely covered his.

The moan that escaped Jason's mouth when Ianto locked his legs around the firm waist was certainly not in English. Whenever Greek words came from his mouth, it was a sign that Jason was extremely aroused.

"Jason…" Ianto arched his back and pressed his hips into his fiancé's body.

"I want you," Jason breathed. He slid his hands down to grasp the firm buttocks. He proceeded to knead the flesh. He needed it to be rough.

"Then take me, Jason," Ianto said. He bit Jason's shoulder. "Fuck me. Now."

Dirty talk was not something Ianto did very often and he was rarely the one who started it. That was a sign that he needed Jason _right now_.

"Say it again."

"Fuck me Jason. Fuck me now." Ianto took Jason's earlobe between his teeth and bit down just enough to hurt.

It was definitely going to be rough.

"Shit, Ianto."

In response the Welshman rolled them over and pinned Jason to the bed. He held Jason's wrists above his head and smiled a wicked smile.

"You've been rather naughty, Mr. Monroe. I think I should… punish you."

He reached for the tie that lay on the side table and quickly knotted it around Jason's wrists. It wasn't so tight that the man couldn't get free if he wanted and that was where the fun lay.

Jason was a happy prisoner more than willing to surrender to Ianto.

The lithe body moved to straddle the naked form. Ianto gripped the headboard for leverage and then slowly lowered himself down onto his partner. He threw his head back as the sweet spot deep inside him was struck with that first move.

"You are so gorgeous," Jason panted. He bent his knees and jerked his hips. The little 'ah' that escaped the lush mouth made him shiver and do it again.

"Harder."

Jason loved Bossy Ianto. Meek-n-mild Ianto was fun too but the dominant, selfish Ianto was such a turn on he could actually forget for a while.

The room was filled with pants and the smell of sex. Sweat made their skin, pale over dark, glisten. The slipperiness only made it more exciting. The up and down movements of the younger man's body set his older partner on fire. Jason's eyes were locked onto the figure as it bounced up and down on his engorged member. The delectable bottom tightened suddenly and he lost control.

Jason ripped his hands free and he flipped them back over. He pushed Ianto's legs as far apart as he could without hurting and pounded into him. Each thrust slammed into Ianto's swollen spot and tore cries of "Harder. Faster," from the sumptuous mouth.

With a cry of "Ianto!", Jason emptied himself into the trembling body and then he held his lover as he shouted out his own orgasm.

Ianto panted softly as he came down from the sexual high. He pressed a kiss to his fiancé's throbbing temple and wrapped his arms around him.

"Is it wrong," came the whisper. "To want to stay here with you and forget?"

"No," Ianto replied. "But we can't."

"I know." Silence. "I love you."

"I love you too, Cariad."

As they drifted off to sleep, Ianto thought he heard footsteps outside the door. He dismissed it from his mind and snuggled into Jason's embrace.

Outside Jack sat down heavily on the steps that led to the grocery store below. His face was in his hands. Tears leaked out from between his fingers but he didn't bother to try and wipe them away.

I'm going to lose you…

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

John Hart had been found.

Despite Kahl's best efforts, the bastard had been spotted by Keinder in Bluemont. Now Mr. Franklin wanted Kahl to go and kill the other Time Agent.

He knew it was a test. Suzie was on Earth; Mr. Franklin wanted to see if he would join her or remain loyal to him.

Kahl looked down at the necklace. Its purpose was to be a message. Hopefully Monroe would understand and continue to fight.

Otherwise he wasn't sure what else he could do.


	19. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: One Solution, More Heartache

_February 4, 2015. Wednesday morning. Torchwood Bluemont._

He'd had enough of this.

Ianto was sick and tired of Jack ignoring him. For nearly a week now the immortal Captain had avoided him or left the room as Ianto entered it. It was driving Ianto crazy.

The young man stood just outside the threshold that led to the cages. He watched as Jack studied the Weevil family. It almost seemed like old times at the Hub. There had been many days when Jack would go down to the cells and just watch Janet as she growled back. But it wasn't the same. Bluemont was not Cardiff and this was not the Hub or Janet.

"We're hoping to release them into the sewers after this whole mess is over with," Ianto said.

Jack abruptly turned and started for the door.

"Good luck with that," he said as he tried to squeeze past.

But Ianto wasn't about to let him escape this time. He stepped to the left and effectively blocked the doorway. He looked up into the deep blue eyes of his lover.

"Talk to me, Jack."

"About what?"

"How about the reason you've been avoiding me all week long?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Had he not known Jack Harkness better than that, he might have been convinced that he'd imagined it all.

"Nope, sorry. Not gonna work, Jack. Talk to me."

"What do you want me to say?" Jack demanded. He turned away and raked a hand roughly though his hair.

"Well, you could start with why you're acting like this," prompted Ianto.

Jack didn't respond. He looked over at one of the other alien specimens and sighed.

"Jack… Come on. You can talk to me."

"I was outside your flat last Thursday."

The hushed whisper spoke volumes to Ianto. Last Thursday. The day that he'd taken Jason home in an attempt to make the man rest.

"How long were you…"

"Since you first said _'Fuck me. Now.'_ Gotta admit, you two sounded like you were having fun."

Ianto closed the door and moved to stand behind Jack. He reached out and touched his lower back in an apology.

"He gets to touch you, kiss you… be with you. I get nothing. It isn't fair."

"Jack, he's my fiancé," Ianto said softly.

"I thought you loved me too."

"I do."

"Then why do I have to keep you at arm's length while he gets to have all of you?"

The immortal turned and faced him. There was so much pain etched into his face and in his eyes it almost reduced Ianto to tears.

It was true. Ever since Jack had come back into his life, all the older man had been able to do was kiss Ianto that one time. Each night Ianto left with Jason. It wasn't fair. But he couldn't help how he felt about the Bluemont leader. His feelings for Jason had been present for longer than he'd even known Jack so how could he deny Jason just because Jack was there?

He bit his lip and frowned. How could he deny Jack just because of Jason? He loved both men equally. Suddenly he loathed Mr. Franklin with a passion that rivaled his feelings for his two loves. If the bastard had never mixed-up and destroyed the time lines then he wouldn't be going through this. Of course, he reasoned, if not for the meddling then he would never have met Jack either. But then, he also reasoned, Jack would never have been so deeply hurt when he lost Ianto. No doubt Jack would have found someone else more worthy of him.

That thought -- Jack with another lover-- made up his mind. Ianto could not stand the mere idea of Jack with anyone else, not while he was still alive. He knew it was selfish but then again, hadn't Jack been casual and indifferent with Ianto's heart before? If Jack could expect Ianto to be exclusively his while he played the field, then why couldn't _Ianto_ expect Jack to be faithful while he had both him and Jason?

Ianto closed the distance between them, his arms wrapping around Jack's trembling shoulders. He pressed his mouth against Jack's and held his lover as tightly as possible.

"You don't," he whispered. "I can't choose either of you. And you're right, it's not fair. You shouldn't feel that you have to hold back with me."

"Ianto."

"Your Vortex Manipulator. Does it have the coordinates for the safe house programmed into it?"

"Yes." Jack frowned. "But I don't want to hide this. I'm not ashamed of us. I love you."

"No, that's not why I asked. I asked because--" Ianto pressed his arousal to Jack's thigh. "--the sooner we get there, the sooner we can… reacquaint ourselves."

Jack Harkness didn't have to be told twice. He wrapped his arms around his lover and touched a button on his wrist strap.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kahl didn't give a damn about John Hart. The pompous fool had never been high on his list. In fact he rather despised the other Time Agent. At one time he would have eagerly jumped at the chance to kill the man.

That was before he had allowed himself to be seduced by the rich promises Mr. Franklin had made. Now he understood things a little bit more. There was so much more to everything than his needs and wants. Because he had gotten greedy the fate of the universe, of time itself was very dark and dismal. If the dimension ceased to exist, he knew that it would be his fault as well as that of Mr. Franklin's.

Which was why he needed to buy Suzie time. He had no clue what she was doing but he knew her well enough to know that she was trying to right the wrongs they'd done.

"Ready?"

He didn't even bother to look at Keinder. The man was one of the reject Time Agents who'd been unable to keep up. When the Agency fell Keinder abandoned his partners and ran away. He was a spineless creep who had no qualms about betraying his colleagues if it saved his own skin.

"Kahl!"

"I heard you," Kahl said coldly. "I'm not going if you're going to be right there."

"Mr. Franklin said--"

"That I was to go to the 21st century and kill John Hart. There was no mention of you accompanying me."

Kahl turned his back on the creep and walked out into the corridor. In his left pocket was the necklace he had taken from the girl.

He would find John Hart but he would also look for Monroe. The man would stop at nothing to protect his children and that could work to his advantage.

It was almost certain that this would be his last mission but at least he would die knowing that he had done something good.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

The boardroom at the base was littered with files and coffee cups. John Hart, Suzie Costello and Gwen Cooper had spread out around the table as they worked.

Hart was analyzing the Rift readings trying to find some sort of pattern. Suzie and Gwen were busy looking for any way that they could find the station and rescue Monroe's family. They had been at it all morning. It was now lunchtime and they had yet to have a breakthrough.

Gwen sipped at her coffee and leaned back. It had been a crazy few months. To think that all of this began when she discovered that the Rifts were converging! She glanced through the open door to the main section of the base. The rest of the Bluemont staff were busy monitoring the Rift as well as sifting through the enormous amount of material to try to find a way to combat Mr. Franklin.

She hated the animosity that rolled off the Americans in waves. It was easy for her to understand but she didn't like it. They had been hired and trained by an institute that was run by a madman who had kidnapped their leader's family out of spite. Now they had no choice but to work with some of the people who worked for that same institute. It was not an ideal environment for building camaraderie but it could have been worse. If only they could find a way to save the kids…

"That's it!"

She and Suzie both looked at Hart in annoyance. The man jumped up and ran to the door.

"Sunshine! Get over here!"

Jason shot the man a dirty look as he came out of his office.

"What?"

"The Rifts!"

"What about them?"

"He's using the Rifts to manipulate Time and keep himself hidden." Hart bounced on his feet and looked around. "It's not just the Rifts in Cardiff and Bluemont. There are several Rifts all over the world."

"But how is he using them?" Miranda asked.

"They're converging. All of them."

"We know that. What does it mean, exactly?" Jason asked as he looked around the base. Ianto was nowhere to be seen. He frowned; he wanted his fiancé close by during all this.

Gwen and Suzie emerged from the boardroom to listen.

"Mr. Franklin wants to set up an empire in this century correct, Miss Costello?" Hart said.

At Suzie's nod, he grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, if he does that by simply taking over the past, he'll destroy his own time and probably prevent his own birth."

"So," Bobby said. "If he did that then his being here would be a paradox?"

"Righto!" Hart wrapped an arm around the young technician's shoulders and kissed him heartily.

Bobby sputtered and fell off his chair. He landed on the floor and stayed there, too shocked to move.

"Now, a paradox is a dangerous thing indeed. There are ways to work around them but it takes a great deal of knowledge and common sense."

"What does that have to do with the Rifts?" Gwen asked.

"If they should all converge, then what we will have is a Time and Space Paradoxical Engine." Hart sat down in Bobby's chair and spun it around. "He'll be able to completely manipulate Time, bringing the past, present _and_ future together. The resulting energy from the convergence will provide him with enough power to keep the Engine open indefinitely. It will create itself. Fascinating, isn't it?"

"But," Jason said. "What about the time lines?"

"Oh, they'll still be messed up to the point where they will never get back to their original state. Which I think is what he wants, to be honest."

"But why?" Gwen asked. "When the Rift opened before, it nearly tore the world apart. To have all the world's Rifts meet would be catastrophic."

Hart grinned at her. "Leaving him with a blank canvas to paint the picture of his glorious, eternal empire."

"It won't work," Suzie protested. "I mean, there's too many holes in your theory." She glanced at Jason as if she wanted to elaborate but didn't.

"I know. And there lies the beauty of it!"

"Hart, stop speaking in riddles and get to the point."

"Ooh, you're sexy when you're bossy, Sunshine!"

"Hart…"

"Ahem…" Hart cleared his throat. "Miss Costello, what's your opinion of Mr. Franklin's level of intelligence and his state of mind?"

With a frown Suzie replied, "He's of only average intelligence with only an average education and he's crazy."

"There you go!" Hart said. "Lack of knowledge and insanity are very dangerous weapons by themselves. Put them together and you have the recipe for a perfect disaster." He clapped his hands joyfully.

"Bloody hell!" Gwen shook her head. "Earth is going to be invaded by a lunatic with a half-cocked plan!"

"Exactly." Hart stood and adopted a serious air and posture. "He's delirious with grief. He lost his entire family and wants to get them back. The man actually believes that he's doing the right thing. The consequences of his actions don't ever factor into the equation."

"So how do we stop him?" Jason asked.

"For starters, we need to stop the Rifts from expanding any more. My Vortex Manipulator can be used to send out a signal that will block the expansion. Thing is, there's no way it will work properly."

"Why not?"

"Because between Jack, Miss Costello and myself we only have three Manipulators. There are more Rifts than that."

Bobby, finally recovered from Hart's kiss, stood and straightened his hair.

"Maybe," he said. "We can duplicate the signal. If we do that then we can send the data to the other Torchwoods. We can then boost the signal and transmit it through the satellites that circle the planet."

"Yeah!" Susan said excitedly. "Those ain't ordinary satellites. They're Torchwood satellites! They've been adapted and remodeled using advanced technology from Earth's future and alien allies. Copying the signal should be easy as pie!"

"That might work," Hart agreed.

"Hart, work with Bobby and Susan to copy the signal," Jason ordered. "Cooper, we have the complete list of all Torchwood bases, their employees and contact info. I want you to send out a mass email to all the bases. We have to tell them what's going on. I'll contact the other North American bases myself. We'll need everyone in the Institute to help if this is gonna work."

"At least we've accomplished something," Miranda said as she turned back to her computer.

Sam looked at Hart. He didn't trust the man but he knew he had to.

"Hart, you said that you knew how Mr. Franklin was hiding himself from us?"

"But of course," Hart said with a grin. "Miss Costello told me that Kahl said the station is directly above the Earth but it's one second out of sync with everything."

"So how does that help us?" Jason asked.

"It's right above us, Sunshine. All we need are the coordinates. He's been using the Rift to transport his people to Earth, one second out of our time."

"How the hell," Sam said. "Do we get the coordinates?"

"The Manipulator that Miss Costello came here with!" Hart exclaimed. "It will have the coordinates of the station logged into it. Even if it's in a slightly different time period the coordinates will still be there. It will be a simple matter of reversing polarities."

Jason stared at the other man.

"So then we can find my kids?"

"Yes, we can. I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." Hart grinned like a fool and shook his head. "We'll have your kids back in no time Sunshine!"

It was the best news that Jason had heard since this mess had started.

~_~_~

_Meanwhile at the Torchwood safe house._

Never again would he take for granted the people around him, of that Captain Jack Harkness was certain. Especially not the gorgeous young man in bed with him.

He lay on his back as Ianto rode him. His hands gripped the slender waist and his hips moved to meet each thrust. Sweat-slicked skin caught the light and made it glisten sensuously.

Ianto raised his arms above his head and leaned back. The sight of his lover's throbbing arousal bobbing up and down made Jack moan.

"Jack… Ah…"

The little pants, the trembling limbs… The way Ianto swiveled his hips from side to side.

If he were not a man of great endurance this would have been over long ago. But Jack and Ianto had been copulating for nearly two hours now.

"God, Ianto! Oh yes…"

"Jack, I'm… oh God! Jack!"

The immortal surged up and cradled his lover in his arms as they fell over the edge. They stayed like that for a few minutes, riding out the aftershocks, before Ianto eased off his lover and moved to lie down.

When he was able to catch his breath, Ianto turned to look at his lover.

"So, was it as good as you remembered?"

"No," came the reply.

Before Ianto could even start to feel hurt Jack added:

"It was so much _better_ than I remembered. My memories didn't do you justice!"

"Jack! You're incorrigible!"

"I try, Tiger Pants."

"I never thought I'd hear you call me that again."

"Wanna know a secret? Me too."

Ianto rolled over and cuddled against him.

"Ianto, we need to talk to Jason."

"About what? I already told you I can't choo-"

"I know," Jack stopped him. "But I think it's only fair that we tell him about us. I don't want to have to sneak around just to be able to hold you or be with you. And it's not fair to him either."

They lay in bed silent except for their breathing.

Jack knew that sooner or later Ianto would have to choose. Ianto was not a casual relations kind of guy. He put his entire being into his relationships. If he tried to continue to involve himself with both men, it would end in disaster. Besides, even though Jack didn't want to lose Ianto to anyone, it was easy to see that Jason Monroe loved Ianto deeply. If the theory of this being because of a parallel dimension was accurate, then Jason had been with Ianto far longer than Jack. He didn't want to let go but knew that he very well might. If they leveled the playing field a little then maybe he would at least stand a chance.

"I'll talk to him." Ianto's voice was soft as it broke the silence.

"Want me there with you?"

"He won't hurt me, Jack. He'll be upset, maybe angry but he would never lay a hand on me to hurt me. He loves me."

"Okay."

They fell silent again.

"Does it freak you out that he's your cousin and I've slept with you both?"

"Not at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Jack shifted them so they were spooned together. "In this century, there are people who marry their cousins. Usually a couple times removed but they still share DNA that they pass on to their offspring. By the 51st century many of the genetic complications are fixable. While it's still taboo to have intimate relations with siblings and parents, it's perfectly accepted to be involved with your cousin."

"Bit creepy, though."

"To people of _this_ time. But eventually Earth will be in ruins and its people scattered throughout the galaxy. The Boeshane Peninsula was one of many colony worlds set up to ensure that the human race continued in some fashion or another. Those places were colonized by a handful of families that intermarried and produced a new generation of humans."

"But if they keep intermarrying, won't that cause more genetic problems?"

"It would," Jack agreed. "If it weren't done properly. You see, every few years more colonists with no genetic ties to those already there are sent to the colony worlds. There are censuses done regularly to check for problems before they get too big to handle. If a colony has too many people with the same genetic code then they will either be removed from the colony or new DNA will be introduced."

"Seems rather clinical."

"Remember what John said about the Roanoke colonists? They were taken to a world where the people of that world needed an infusion of fresh DNA in order to keep complications at bay. Not only were they saved from death and the past time lines preserved but the colony world they went to has continued to flourish because of them. So it might seem clinical but remember this: the human species is highly adaptable. Humankind will find a way to survive even billions of years in the future."

"You talk as if you've met them."

Jack shivered as he recalled the ill-fated trip he'd taken with the Doctor and Martha. He still had nightmares of the Toclafane as they killed so many people. To think that humans had been reduced to giggling balls of insanity…

"Life carries on, Ianto."

"Hmm."

More silence. It was comfortable and familiar. Ianto had never been one to talk much and Jack would talk if he needed to say something or not say something.

"Tell me a story, Jack."

"About what?"

"A dashing Time Agent turned immortal defender of Earth."

Jack laughed and hugged Ianto tighter.

"Once upon a time Captain Jack Harkness, the most handsome man ever born, used to be a Time Agent…"

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Kate was screaming. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as he watched a man slit Rob's throat open.

"No! Please, God, no!"

Katelyn knelt with her hands tied behind her. Leech-like creatures covered her body, her clothes torn and tattered. Blood trickled down her legs as she cried.

"Please don't!"

Christine and Richard were bound to two chairs. Flames licked at their feet as they screamed.

"Stop!"

Jason was hung from the ceiling. His green shirt, the one she'd sent him for Christmas while he was in London, was ripped. His chest was covered in blood.

"Please… Please stop. Please…"

Kate turned her head and stared. Her husband's fiancé was tied to a chair. He was crying, his jaw bruised.

"Ianto?"

He didn't hear her. He sobbed and begged Mr. Franklin to let Jason go.

"Oh, Ianto, Ianto!" Mr. Franklin knelt before the young man. He took a firm hold of the bruised jaw. "There is someone so much better for you."

She swallowed and bit her lip, tears poured down her face. Ianto looked so much younger than before. Was this part of the changing time lines? Was she seeing the past that Mr. Franklin had destroyed?"

"Make us forget! It's the only way! You can make us forget each other and then let Jason go!"

She sobbed harder. Ianto loved Jason. He loved Jason enough to let him go.

"Let me say goodbye."

"What does it matter? You won't remember it?"

She watched as Jason was lowered to the ground. Ianto was set free and he rushed to his lover's side.

"Jason…"

"Ianto, please don't do this," Jason begged.

"I have to. I love you." Ianto caressed Jason's face. "I'll never forget you. Please remember that. Remember that I love you…" He sobbed against Jason's neck.

"We'll be together one day. Nothing can keep us apart forever. I promise I'll find you…" Jason said. He wrapped his lover into his embrace. "Don't forget any of it."

"I'll never forget you, even when you're forgotten." Ianto kissed him for the last time. "As long as we love each other, that's all that matters. We'll find each other again."

"Then I'll always love you, even if I don't remember."

Kate cried out as two guards came and pulled Ianto away from Jason. The young man struggled to be able to reach for his lover again.

"Please, not yet!" Ianto begged.

Jason was pulled to his feet, his hands bound by two more guards. The man who had kidnapped Kate and the children stood next to Ianto.

"Take them away," Mr. Franklin said.

"Jason!"

"Ianto, I swear, I'll find you." Jason couldn't stop his tears as he watched Ianto being forced to walk away from him. "I _will_ find you again. In this life or the next."

"Jason…" Ianto stretched out his hand. "I love you. If you remember nothing else about me, remember that Ianto Jones loves you."

Jason was gone. Ianto fell to his knees and cried brokenly.

"Don't be so sad," Mr. Franklin soothed. "My son will be in your life soon. He is the one you must love."

"Even if I do fall in love with him," Ianto bit out. "I will always love Jason Monroe."

His devotion to her husband shocked Kate.

"Do you see now, Mrs. Monroe? Your husband is a stain on my plans."

"Why did you make me see that?" Kate demanded. Her cheeks were flushed and wet with tears. She never would have believed that the two men loved each other had she not witnessed their painful farewell.

"To show you why your husband needs to be eliminated," Mr. Franklin replied. "Look at everything he has done."

"He didn't do anything! All he did was fall in love!"

"Ah, but my son, my little boy… Doesn't he deserve to be happy?" He ran his fingers through her hair. "Now, watch!"

A man with blue eyes, brown hair, straight nose and perfect teeth stood before her. They were in a warehouse. Ianto, dressed in a suit, was whistling to a pterodactyl while holding up a chocolate bar. The dinosaur screeched and took flight, the other man holding onto its leg. When he dropped from the air onto Ianto, it was easy to see the attraction.

"I should go."

But Ianto didn't want to and the man didn't want him to either.

Other scenes of the two men's lives played out before her.

The man, Jack, pressed Ianto up against a desk and kissed him.

"So, how many uses are there for a stopwatch?" he asked.

"More than you can imagine, Sir."

She watched as Jack and Ianto embarked on a tentative journey of the heart. Ianto was devastated when his lover left him and overjoyed when he returned. When the older man asked him out, he tried to play it off like he was not interested. But the joy was plain to see in his bright eyes.

What was also plain to see was that Ianto was never sure what he meant to his lover. Jack flirted with everyone and even at a wedding he paid more attention to the bride than his dance partner. The relationship was riddled with uncertainty. Ianto never knew if he mattered or not.

And then came the most frightening five days of every parent's life.

"He thought we were together. Like a couple. He said 'you two' like, ahhe, 'you two!'" Ianto said in a poor attempt to appear casual.

"But we are. Does it matter?"

_Yes, when you're in love_, Kate thought sadly as she watched Ianto tried to maintain his composure.

She then saw Jack and Ianto arguing over why Jack never told Ianto anything.

"I've only just scraped the surface haven't I?" Ianto's voice was soft and resigned. It was as if he had concluded that he meant nothing to his lover.

"Ianto, that's all there is." Jack was so cold.

"No. You pretend that's all there is."

Kate felt her heart constrict. It was coming to an end, this journey of the heart. She watched as Jack and Ianto faced the alien threat. Ianto's body betrayed him as his lover shouted out:

"Then I take it all back but NOT HIM!"

But it was too late. Jack Harkness cradled Ianto to him, tears in his eyes.

"I love you…" Ianto said.

"Don't," Jack breathed.

"Hey? It was… good, yeah?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't forget me…"

"Never could."

"In a thousand years' time… you won't remember me…"

"Yes I will, I promise."

Ianto's life faded as Jack whispered, "Don't leave me, Ianto, _please_."

Jack pressed his lips to Ianto's one last time. He lay himself down next to Ianto, pulling the still warm body towards him.

"I love you," he whispered to the back of Ianto's head.

And Captain Jack Harkness died, barely able to touch his lover.

"Why should my son have to suffer just so your husband can be happy?"

Kate tried to look away from the image of Ianto and Jack.

"He loved him," she said sadly. "Ianto, he loved them both."

"He should only love my son."

"Love doesn't work that way. Love isn't as easy as we all wish it were. If it were, then I would still be with Jason."

Mr. Franklin removed a leather bound book from his jacket pocket. He absently thumbed through the withered pages.

"Why can't you go back far enough to stop Jason from meeting Ianto?" Kate ventured to ask. She tried to catch a glimpse of the yellowed pages for an idea of what it was.

"I don't know. There is something or someone who wants Ianto to be with Monroe."

"Maybe," Kate said. "Whoever it is wants Ianto to be able to choose."

"Perhaps." He closed the book and looked at the memory. "But it doesn't matter. What matters is my son. Now, Mrs. Monroe… Look at what your husband has done."

The children replaced Jack and Ianto. Rob was choking on his own blood. The creatures had eaten through Katelyn's flesh. Richard and Christine still sat in the chairs but their bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

Kate thought she heard a glass break but then she realized that it was simply her mind shattering.

~_~_~

_Back at the Torchwood safe house._

Ianto had just finished dressing when his cell phone beeped.

"Hello?"

"Ianto, where are you?"

"Jason!"

Jack, fully dressed save for his coat, wrapped his arms around his lover and rested his chin on his shoulder. His evolved hearing allowed him to overhear the other half of the conversation.

"Yeah, it's me. Where are you?"

"Ah… Is something the matter?"

"Hart is working on a plan to get the kids back. We'll need everyone to help. Have you seen Harkness?"

Ianto tensed and closed his eyes. This was not how he wanted to explain it to Jason. He had planned on sitting him down that evening and telling him over dinner.

"Ianto?"

"Jason… I…"

"He's with you isn't he?"

There was no anger, no sorrow just acceptance.

"Jason, let me explain--"

"No need. To be honest, I'd wondered when this would happen. When you would choose him."

"I haven't. Jason, look, I can't make that decision yet. What's important is getting the kids back and stopping Mr. Franklin's plan."

Jack pulled away from Ianto and sighed. His father was ruining everything. He picked up his coat and pulled it on.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Jason said. "Just… get back here as soon as you can. We need Harkness's wrist strap."

"Jason, you know I'm sorry, right?"

"Yeah. But I love you enough to not lose my temper over it. We'll talk about it later, after the kids are back home."

"Alright." Ianto ran a hand through his hair. "Jack and I will be there soon."

"I'll be waiting. Love you."

"Love you too."

Ianto slipped his phone into his pocket and sighed.

"You okay?"

"Jack, is it so horrible of me to want you both equally?"

"No. But I think you know that it won't work out that way. Neither he or I like to share."

"We'd better go. Apparently Hart has a plan to rescue the kids and they need your Manipulator."

"Then let's go."

* * *

TBC

NOTES!!!

I have more to post but due to a stomach bug I haven't been able to sit down and discuss my friend's notes. Since the pace is moving faster than before I want to have at least one (if not two) extra chapters 100% ready before I post. I'm feeling much better and have today and tomorrow off so it shouldn't take too long. This whole last week I had no energy to write, let alone make it good, but now I'm back on track!


	20. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Anyone Can Be A Hero

_February 4, 2015. Wednesday afternoon. Torchwood Bluemont garage._

Jason didn't look up as Ianto and Jack entered the room. He was busy running a diagnostic on his mother's old ship. He was also trying to ignore the jealously that niggled at him at the knowledge that Ianto had slept with Harkness. It wasn't easy.

"Sorry, sorry!" Ianto said as he leaned over to kiss his fiancé. He was hurt, but not overly shocked, when Jason evaded the kiss. The reaction was to be expected after learning of Ianto's infidelity. What made it worse was that Ianto knew it was due to Kate's cheating that the two had split up.

"Hart can explain what it is he's going to do," Jason said. "Once he's done that we can get the ball rolling."

Jack looked at Monroe and bit back a sigh. The man was really going to just pretend that he wasn't angry with them? Really? He knew it was his fault, or at least a good portion of it. There was no regret to be found for his actions but he was sorry that someone had been hurt because of him. Again.

But if they forced Ianto to choose, Jack knew that neither of them would win.

"Hart! Get over here!"

"Yes sir, Sunshine sir!"

"Do you have to be such a prick?"

"Ooh! I love it when you use that tone of voice!"

"John…" Jack said. He was still probably the only person in existence who had any sort of control over the other Time Agent. Even when he was baiting Jason or taunting Ianto, it was Jack who could settle him down. Jack idly wondered if John was still infatuated with him.

"Okay, alright. Honestly, if I didn't already know you two were related I would wonder."

"Hart."

John Hart rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out. He ran his dirty hands over his shirt and shook his head a bit before speaking.

"Your father's space station is right above our heads but it's one second behind us. Thanks to Miss Costello's theft of a Vortex Manipulator we have the coordinates. I have programmed them into the ship that brought Jason's mother here. While it came to the past by accident, it's an accident we can repeat. Instead of causing a temporal explosion to open time and space, we'll be using the Rift."

"Bit risky," Jack said. "Whoever's on the ship could get killed."

"Which is why I thought maybe you should go."

"Thanks John. Your concern for my well-being is touching."

"It's not as if you won't come back. Gwen told me all about you getting blown to bits and coming back."

"Can we not talk about that?" Ianto asked. He really didn't want to relive that particular memory.

"How have you compensated for the time difference?" Jack asked. "Even the Doctor almost couldn't find the Earth when it was one second off."

"I simply reversed the polarities of the Manipulator. Piece of cake."

"It's always the simplest solutions," Jack said with a sigh.

"Now all we have to do," Hart said. "Is power up the engines and send you to face who knows what."

"Which could be anything and also why he's not going."

They all turned to look at Jason.

"No offense, but I am the logical choice," Jack said.

"Maybe. But there's the possibility that your father will have an army of people there waiting."

"He won't hurt me."

"No, he'll just tempt you."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know."

"Why don't you say it so we can all be sure?"

Ianto and Hart looked from one to the other.

"He knows how you feel about Ianto," Jason said in a flat tone. "He'll use that to try to get you to join him."

"I won't. I can promise you that."

"You're not perfect."

"Never claimed to be."

Ianto rolled his eyes and turned to look at Hart. Except that Hart was gone. He looked about and gasped when he saw what Hart was doing.

"Jack, Jason!"

But the two men ignored him in favor of arguing.

"Look, Harkness, you're not going and that's that."

Hart had already climbed into the cockpit and strapped himself in.

"You're not my boss, ya know? I do what I want when I want."

Hart calmly hooked up his Manipulator to the computer and started up the ship.

"And look at how it's served you in the past?"

Hart raised a hand to Ianto, who sighed and returned the wave.

"Oh, so I've made a few mistakes! I'm only human."

Both men jumped as the ship's engine rumbled. They turned and gaped at the man inside.

"Hart!"

"John, get outta there!"

"Sorry boys," Hart's voice came over the intercom. "But I always wanted to be a hero. And since you two are having so much fun wasting time, I figured why not? See you in a few!"

They watched as the air directly around the ship turned an orangish-pink hue and then the ship was gone. The Rift closed and the room was empty save for three men and some equipment.

"Well, that went well," Ianto said dryly.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Christine wanted to cry. She had to hold back her tears though because she needed to be strong for the others. So she bit her hand in an attempt to take her mind off of her mother.

Kate Monroe was calmly pacing the length of the cell. She was laughing and talking to herself and didn't even seem to notice that the kids were there.

"Oh, I think that would be a lovely color for the nursery, don't you? Yes, teal is such a lovely color!"

What had they done to her? Christine looked over at Rob and Katelyn. They were just as upset as she at their mother's behavior. Rob had his arm around his little sister and was fighting his own tears. Katelyn wasn't even trying to hold back.

"Mom? Mom what's wrong?" Katelyn whimpered.

"And let's not forget the carpet in the dining room. I'm leaning towards mauve but Jason wants beige. I know! Men can be so unimaginative!" Kate giggled. She held a hand to her head as if she were talking on the telephone. Her skirt had been torn in her previous struggle and her sweater was smudged with dirt and tears. Her shoes were gone and her pantyhose full of runs. None of which she took notice of.

"Mom, what happened?"

But Kate didn't hear her youngest child's voice. She was too busy redecorating her house.

"I think we should go for stripes in the guest bath. What do you think? Oh that sounds nice! But it has to be the right shade of green."

Not sure what to do, Christine pushed onto her hands and knees and crawled over to her siblings. She grasped her brother's shoulder and shook it to get their attention.

"I don't know what happened but we can't panic okay? That guy before told us to not get into trouble. We have to do what he said or they might take one of us next. And we have to stay together. Dad's looking for us. It'll be easier for him to find us if we're together."

She spoke in a calm, quiet tone that she had heard their father use before. It was the kind of tone that soothed fears and eased tension. She just hoped she was telling the truth.

"Now if we should find a way to get out of this room, then we need to take it. We can find a place to hide and wait for Dad."

"We don't even know where we are," Rob said quietly. His eyes darted over to look at Kate again.

"It's not our responsibility to know that," Christine said. "It's Dad's."

"But Chris…"

"Does he love Dad?" Katelyn asked softly.

"Who?" Christine asked.

"Ianto."

"Yeah, he does. And Dad loves him." She paused. "And I know that he's helping Dad find us so don't worry."

"You said that he died before," Rob said. "What does that mean?"

"I dunno. All I know is what was in the files at Dad's work. But I think whoever brought us here has something to do with it."

"Chris, Rob-- listen!" Katelyn hissed.

She waved her hands towards the door and they all fell silent. The only thing they heard was Kate as she picked out drapes for the living room window.

"What?" Christine whispered.

"There's someone at the door."

Richard might have been more like their mother but Rob and Katelyn were like Jason. Their instincts were sharper and more accurate. She knew that if Katelyn thought she heard something, then she heard something.

They all strained to hear whatever it was that Katelyn had heard but there was---

A scraping sound. Just outside the door.

Christine reached up and pulled out her hair clip. It was a big clip that was meant to hold long, thick hair like hers' up. It was made of sturdy plastic and wasn't really much of a weapon but it was all she had.

"…and of course that couch has got to go. It looks like a war zone. Look at those stains! Don't even get me started on…"

Ignoring her mother, Christine crept over to the door and raised her clip. There was no way any of them were taking her mother or her siblings.

The door whooshed open and a man in a red military jacket sauntered through. Christine didn't hesitate to attack.

"Ow! Shit! Get off, crazy thing!"

Christine squeaked as her clip was batted out of her hand.

"You must be Sunshine's daughter alright."

She stared at the man in surprise. Sunshine?

"Who are--"

"Captain John Hart." He wiped at the scrapes on his face. "I'm here to rescue you."

Christine continued to stare at him, fully aware that she closely resembled a goldfish.

"Uh… I…"

"Christine Monroe, correct?"

"Yes?" Why did she sound unsure?

"Good. Now then, everyone here? Then let's go!"

"Wait a minute!" She grabbed Hart's arm. "How can we trust you? You're dressed kinda like that guy who brought us here."

"Do you really want to stand around and chat? I have maybe two minutes before I'm detected and then we'll all be prisoners."

"But how can we trust you?"

Hart sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You have your father's blood in you. You have his instincts. Use them. Follow your gut."

She swallowed and glanced out the door. She saw the guard from before lying on the floor unconscious.

"What does your gut tell you?"

She took a deep breath.

"Okay but only because I don't want them to do whatever it was they did to Mom to the others."

Hart looked over at Kate and frowned. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what had been done and if he was right then there was really only one way to help the former Mrs. Monroe.

"You three stay close. I'll help your mother." He stepped over to the babbling woman and took her arm.

"Oh hello! Are you the interior designer?"

"Why yes, I am! I have some lovely designs to show you but I left them at the office. Could you spare the time to accompany me?" Hart asked in an overly cheerful voice.

That was all it took to get Kate out the door. Hart led them quickly down the corridor to where he'd stashed the ship. There was less than thirty seconds before the shielding dropped and he was discovered. The Manipulator's shield had been designed to cover a person not a ship. He had been able to adapt it to cover himself and the Monroe's but it was draining power more quickly. The perception filter would soon run out of juice and they would be unprotected.

"Don't gawk at it, get it!" he snapped as he shoved the kids towards the ship. It would be a tight fit but they would only be onboard for a few minutes.

"Cool!" Rob said as he climbed into the hatch. The girls were right behind him.

"Stop!"

Hart cursed and bodily lifted Kate up. As soon as he felt the others grab onto her, he spun and pulled his gun.

Keinder fired and Hart fired back.

"Hello, Keinder! Couldn't find anything better to do with your life so you decided to ruin others'?"

"You bastard!"

Another shot, this time it barely missed Hart's head.

"That the best you can come up with? No wonder you couldn't make it as a Time Agent!"

The third shot grazed his shoulder and Hart made an executive decision to leave NOW.

"Captain! Grab on!"

He eagerly took Christine's outstretched hand and let her pull him up. One glance told him that they hadn't touched the controls so he closed the hatch and crammed himself into the cockpit.

"Hang on, kids. It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

All three Monroe kids let out delighted shrieks as the ship lifted off. It rather reminded them of a roller coaster.

"Alright!" Rob shouted.

"This is so cool!" Katelyn squealed.

"Is Dad…"

"He's fine, honey," Hart shouted (simply because he could. The kids' enthusiasm was contagious). "Misses you but we'll be home soon!"

The ship flew into the Rift and headed back home.

"Whee!"

~_~_~

"They what?"

Keinder swallowed convulsively and tried to look the man in the eyes but he was too afraid.

'They… they've escaped."

"How?"

"It was Hart. He helped them--"

"How the hell was he here in the first place?"

"I… uh, er…"

"We're investigating that now." Kahl kept his voice soft and calm as he spoke. Inside, he was pleased that the Monroe's had escaped but on the outside he was the perfect solider, ready to follow orders.

"Go on." Mr. Franklin glowered at him.

"I believe that it was because Costello left here with a Vortex Manipulator," Kahl said. "It would enable her to go to the 21st century and would have the coordinates to the station programmed into it."

"Why would she help them?"

"It's possible that she isn't. They may have forced her to give them the Manipulator."

"Kahl, go to Earth. Your new objective is Jones."

"Jones?"

"Yes. I want you to bring Ianto Jones to me."

"May I ask why?"

Mr. Franklin smiled coldly.

"As bait."

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont. Minutes after John Hart stole the ship._

"It was so cool!"

"A spaceship, Daddy!"

Jack and Ianto stood next to each other with smiles on their faces as they watched the happy reunion.

"And then Chris attacked him with her hair thing! You shoulda seen it!"

Ianto leaned his head against Jack's shoulder. They were home and they were fine.

"Oh, Jason! When did you get home? I haven't even started dinner!"

Except for Kate.

Jason pulled away from his kids to gaze at his ex-wife in concern.

"Kate?"

"Yes, dear? Ooh! Do you like my new dress?"

She pirouetted on the spot as if showing off her clothes.

Jason looked over at Jack and Ianto.

"What happened? What did they do?"

As badly as he wanted to stay with Ianto, Jack pulled away and walked over to the Monroe's. He took Kate by the shoulders and studied her face. It was the blankness in her eyes that told him what he needed to know.

"Her mind has been damaged."

"Can we fix it?"

The worried tone hit Ianto hard. He wasn't worried that his fiancé was still in love with Kate. Instead he recalled his time in the hospital when he had been trapped within his own mind.

"I'm not gonna lie to you," Jack said slowly. "There's a chance but unless we know what they did to cause this, it's probably permanent."

"Kids, can you remember what happened?"

"Sorry Dad," Christine said. "They took her away. We don't know what they did."

Jason gently pulled Kate from Jack's grip and steered her towards the door.

"Come on Kate."

"Where are we going, Sweetheart?"

"We're going to see Jenny."

"Why?"

"Because you've been hurt and she needs to examine you."

"But I feel fine!" Kate laughed and pulled away. Her eyes fell onto Ianto and she froze.

_"I'll never forget you, even when you're forgotten."_

"Ianto…"

The young man stared at her as she stared at him. The memories she had been forced to witness pushed themselves to the forefront of her mind and she screamed.

She screamed and screamed and wondered why she was screaming.

_"Your husband is a stain on my plans."_

Jason was in danger. Maybe he had stopped loving her and she had betrayed him but that didn't mean she didn't still love him. To let him get hurt was not something she could do. Even if he went to Ianto in the end and she was left alone, she couldn't just stand by and let that man hurt her husband.

"Kate! Kate, calm down!"

"Mommy…"

Jack turned and pulled Katelyn into his arms as she tried to rush to her mother. The girl fought him but he held on tight.

"Let me go! Mommy!"

Rob and Christine held back their tears as they watched what was left of their mother die before them.

Jason tried to hold onto Kate but she was fighting against something he couldn't see. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jack restrain Katelyn. He was grateful. His youngest had always adored her mother and right now Kate was a danger to them.

And Ianto?

He stared at Kate as she screamed.

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

And he was. He didn't know what it was she was seeing but he had a hunch. One look at him and she had come undone.

"Mommy!"

But it was Katelyn's cries for her mother that made the tears fall down his own face.

~_~_~

"How is she?"

Jenny closed the door to the quarantine room and turned to face her leader.

"Not good. She keeps flip-flopping between memories. One minute, you two are newlyweds and the next…" She made a slashing motion with her hand.

"What are the chances that she'll recover?"

"Slim at best. Jason, we need to know what they did to her before I can give you a better idea."

Jason peered through the small window and watched as his ex-wife carried on a conversation with the air. From her hand movements and gestures it was obvious that she thought there was someone in the room with her. She picked up the hem of the hospital gown and lifted up her bare foot to an unseen audience.

"We'll get her help, Jason. Torchwood has the best resources."

"I know Jenny. It's just…" He leaned his forehead on the door. "She's the mother of my children. They _need_ her. Hell, _I_ need her."

"What about Ianto?"

"When I say I need her, I mean that I need her to be my kids' mother. Not some madcap person who is stuck in her own mind."

Jenny regarded her friend. She would never wish to be in his place.

"Right now I think you should focus on stopping Harkness's father. He did this to Kate. He kidnapped the kids. He wants to steal Ianto away from you." That got a reaction. "Focus on stopping him. Worry about Kate later."

"But how can I?"

"By letting me worry about her." She gently pushed him away from the door. "Go be with your fiancé and your kids. Work out a way to get back to the station and stop that man from changing your life."

Jason turned from the locked door and smiled tiredly.

"Thanks Jenny."

"Anytime."

~_~_~

"You okay?"

"Morning sickness."

"Yeah, been there before. Not much fun is it?"

"Why they call it 'morning' I don't know. It hits me all the time."

Gwen smiled a bit as she walked alongside Suzie. The two women had been sent to get dinner for everyone and they were grateful for the excuse to get out of the base.

"So, where to?"

"Anywhere so long as it's not Chinese," Suzie said. "Got enough of that when I was at Cardiff."

"Yeah. Me too."

"So," Suzie said after a few moments. "How have things been for you? We never really got to talk much before."

"Oh, well, I got married. Rhys and I have a son."

"And you work for Torchwood? How do you manage?"

"Lots of compromises and apologies."

"I imagine."

"So what about you and… Kahl?"

"Oh that." Suzie smiled mirthlessly. "It's just comfort sex."

"Oh." Gwen bit her lip. "Sorry."

"Don't be. The moment I agreed to help Mr. Franklin I'd given up any chance of romance."

"Still, it's too bad."

"Maybe. But I could talk to him. Kahl was forced to make a choice and he regrets it. He understands how I feel."

"So he's your friend then?"

"I suppose so."

"That's good."

"Yes, it is."

"So… how about sandwiches?"

"Sounds good. Know any good shops?"

"Ianto mentioned this one about a block from here. Says they make everything fresh."

"Good."

"Yes. You need to eat properly in your condition."

"I'll be alright."

"Suzie, you're pregnant and you have to--"

Gwen frowned as the other woman stopped abruptly.

"What is it? Suzie!"

"Kahl."

Gwen raised her eyes to look at what Suzie was looking at. The man who Jack had identified as a former Time Agent stood directly in front of them. His face was battered and bruised but he still looked dangerous.

"Suzie. Had a feeling I'd find you with them."

"What are you doing here?"

"It'd be something if I said I was here to kill you wouldn't it?" He took a small necklace from his pocket and held it up. "The kids are back home, safe and sound. Don't suppose I could trouble you by having you return this to the girl?"

"Kahl, what's going on?"

The man smiled bitterly at his lover.

"I've been sent to retrieve Ianto Jones."

"Ianto?" Gwen gasped. "What for?"

"He's to be used as bait to lure both Harkness and Monroe to the station. Monroe is to be killed and all memory of him erased from Jones's mind."

"So that Jack will have a clear field with him. Sorry but it won't work," Gwen seethed. "You can't have him!"

"Don't want him."

"What?"

"Kahl…"

The Time Agent looked over their heads to the crowded street.

"Were you ever going to inform me that you were with child?"

Suzie looked embarrassed as she squirmed.

"I figured we had enough to worry about without adding a baby to the mix."

"My baby."

"Yes."

Kahl locked onto her face. All the signs had been there, he'd just ignored them.

"Suzie, considering that we're trying to save lives, don't you think that even an unborn child is important?"

"The chances of either of us surviving this are small, Kahl."

They fell silent. Gwen looked at them both.

"How about we go to the base?"

"What about dinner?"

Gwen smiled. "We'll order pizza."

Kahl nodded and slipped the necklace back into his pocket.

"I don't expect Harkness or Monroe to believe me but I have to do something."

"Then let's go."

They walked swiftly in the direction of the base. Gwen knew she was taking a big risk by letting this man join them but she had seen his eyes as he spoke. He had bitten off way more than he could chew and was now paying the price. But there was a little ray of hope in the form of a child that had yet to be born. She knew that he would strive to make a better life for his child and would work to redeem himself. She just knew it.

They reached the door to the genetics research center and Gwen pulled out her phone.

"Gwen? Is there a problem?"

"Ianto, there's someone here who needs to speak to Jack and Jason."

"Who?"

Kahl shoved both women down and pulled his gun. He fired a single shot.

"Gwen!" Ianto's voice shouted down through the mobile that skittered across the sidewalk.

Suzie and Gwen shielded their heads as a series of shots rang out. Kahl's wrist strap shield had kicked in and was protecting him from the brunt.

He watched as Keinder ducked behind the side of the building. His wrist strap beeped. The shield wouldn't last much longer. He needed to get Suzie and Cooper inside.

Suzie and Cooper.

He smiled sardonically and shook his head.

Why was it always because of women that men found themselves in over their heads? Well, women and Ianto Jones's.

"Kahl…"

He ignored the worried tone and removed his wrist strap. There was just enough power to keep the two women protected until help arrived. He was sure that Jones had already informed the others.

But he knew that this was it for him.

His final mission.

Not how he'd pictured it but considering everything, it was the proper way for him to go.

"What are you doing?"

He tapped in a series of numbers he knew by heart and tossed the Manipulator at the two crouching women. The shield wrapped around them, molding to their shape.

Now he just needed it to hold long enough.

"Keinder! Where are you, you coward?"

There was a story he recalled his father telling him when he was a small boy. Like Harkness, he had grown up on a colony world and had been made to do without. That was why his father told him stories. Faerytales about distant places and faraway heroes. His favorite story had been about a simple, ordinary man who saved the world.

_"Remember son, anyone can be a hero. Even the lowliest of people."_

It was something he had forgotten in his quest for more. It was something that he hoped his own child would learn.

Keinder, who was rather a spineless villain, stepped around the corner and raised his gun.

"I knew you were going to betray Mr. Franklin!"

Kahl's smile widened and he raised his own weapon.

"Anyone can be a hero, Keinder, but it takes a special sort of person to run from what's right. And I've stopped running."

"Then die."

"If I must."

"Kahl!" Suzie screamed as her lover's chest exploded.

Keinder was quite pleased with himself. After being told he was too stupid and slow to be a Time Agent or anything else of worth, he'd proved them all wrong. Now he would kill the noisy women to prove it again.

BANG!

He staggered back, clutched his side and cursed.

Ianto held his gun in his hand and he was prepared to use it again.

"Well, well! If it isn't Ianto Jones. The man of the hour!"

What luck! He had not only eliminated a traitor but would complete the traitor's mission and take Jones to the station. Mr. Franklin would be very pleased.

"If you have even an ounce of intelligence," Ianto said coolly. "Then you'll surrender."

"If I don't?" Keinder laughed at the boy's foolishness.

"Then you die."

The laughter died in his throat. That last hadn't been in Jones's voice.

"Harkness?"

"In the flesh." Jack stood to Ianto's left. "And you remember John Hart, don't you? Let me introduce you to Jason Monroe."

Monroe, who was even bigger than in the photographs, was at Ianto's right. Hart was in front of the two women, a protective stance.

Keinder swallowed; he was outnumbered.

"Well, Jones, you must be a great piece of ass to have everyone dying to protect you. Huh…"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, I'm afraid," Ianto drawled.

Keinder aimed at Ianto but he was smart enough to know it would do no good.

Jack leaped in front of Ianto and felt his flesh tear. He knew that Keinder had gotten away but he didn't care.

"You guys okay," he gasped out.

"Yeah, yeah we're fine. Jack…"

"Not fatal," Jack assured her. He leaned into Ianto who was also very worried.

"Kahl…"

Suzie cradled her lover, her friend, into her lap. His chest was so badly damaged that she knew he was dying.

Jason looked at the sobbing woman and closed his eyes. From what Christine had told him, this man had wanted to help them but was trapped.

"Let's get him inside," he said. "Maybe Jenny can help him."

He carefully lifted Kahl into his arms. Jack, recovering from his wound, and Hart looked around for more Agents while Ianto opened the door to the research center.

Gwen helped Suzie to her feet and led her in after Jason.

She was startled by the sound of thunder and she looked to the window. Rain began to fall, beating down on the ground and pounding on the glass.

Somehow she knew that if Kahl died his death would not be the last.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

"So I was correct. Kahl betrayed me for his whore. Pathetic."

Keinder, his wounds dressed, stood before Mr. Franklin. He wondered when his leader would praise him.

"Why did you not bring Jones with you?"

He flinched at the cold tone.

"He wasn't alone, sir. Your son, Hart and Monroe were with him."

"Get out."

"But--"

"Get. Out."

Mr. Franklin watched as the stupid man fled the room.

He was angry. The children and the bitch had escaped and Jones was still walking around like he owned the place.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he reached up to grasp it.

"My lovely Yvonne, do you see what I have to do? No, of course not. You're just an empty head on a pretty body."

He stood and turned towards her. He pressed her up against the wall and ravaged her submissive mouth.

"They have poisoned my son against me. I cannot allow that. I know what must be done."

His fingers ripped open her blouse and found their way to cup her breasts. Not once did it occur to her to move away. Even when she was completely naked and he was pushing his way roughly into her body she did not think to fight.

She would serve her purpose well, he mused as he sated his desire.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

Suzie held Kahl's hand tightly as he labored to breathe. It wouldn't be long before he took his final breath.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I never should've--"

"You did what you felt you had to do," Kahl murmured. It hurt to talk but he was dying and he wanted to talk so he was.

"I should have at least told you about the baby."

"I won't repeat myself but I mean the same thing."

"Don't leave me," Suzie begged softly. "You're my best friend. We're having a baby. I can't do it alone."

"Suzie, you're so much stronger than that. You risked the darkness when you let yourself die. You can do anything."

"Not this."

"But you will."

Kahl looked up as Jack entered the room.

"Harkness. I know you hate me, always have, but my child is innocent."

Jack fixed him with a hard stare.

"More than one child is at stake here, Kahl." His eyes softened and he continued. "But I will do what I can to give your child a chance. Because it is innocent."

"Thank you. Tell Monroe that I'm sorry. I didn't want to take his kids but I had no choice."

"It all worked out. Mostly." Jack frowned. "What did they do to his wife?"

"A Ten'lai'nak device that makes a person lives their nightmares over and over until they break."

"Any chance she'll recover?"

"Possibly. I was able to get over it because I have a strong sense of reality. But the device was created in the future. The woman was from this time. Differences in physiology could affect how bad the damage is."

Jack nodded and came closer. Now was not the time to concern himself with the past. All that matter right now was that a man had given up his life to protect everyone.

"Monroe's daughter, the oldest one… can you give her something for me?"

"Why don't you give it to me yourself?"

Christine tiptoed down the steps to the table and took Kahl's other hand.

"Your necklace. It's in my coat pocket. I wanted to return it to you."

"Why did you take it anyway?" Christine asked curiously.

"I had thought to use it as a way to make your father understand that you were alright. That I was going to protect you all as best I could. Didn't count on Hart swanning in and stealing my glory."

"He's good at that," Jack chuckled. He looked up to see Jason and Ianto in the doorway. He could just make out Gwen's hair behind them.

"Monroe," Kahl rasped. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not but I'll say it anyway. I'm sorry for everything."

Jason moved to stand next to his daughter. "You're right, it doesn't matter. But thank you. For what you did and what you tried to do."

"I only wish I could have done more."

"If you had, you would probably have been killed long ago."

Kahl smiled and gazed at the ceiling.

"Considering what my life had become, death would have been welcome."

"Don't say that," Suzie begged. "Kahl…"

"Suzie… take care of yourself. Don't push yourself too hard."

They all watched as the life left Kahl's eyes. There was a smile on his face.

Suzie cried because he was gone. His last words, his last glance had been for her. She didn't resist as Gwen wrapped an arm around her or when Christine rushed to her side.

Ianto reached down and gently passed his hand over the still face, closing the eyes.

"How many more will suffer?" he whispered. "How many more will die?"

* * *

TBC.

NOTES!!! I apologize for going from happy (kids get rescued) to sad (Kahl's goodbye) so quickly. I actually like Kahl so it was hard for me to write this. He didn't get to do a lot but he did enough to make his death a sad event. I didn't want it to be a confession of love like it was on Day 4 of "Children of Earth" but more a confession of sins. Kahl made a stupid mistake when he was younger and has been paying for it ever since. His death, while sad, will help spur the desire to stop Mr. Franklin from taking over.

So what did you all think of Hart's valiant rescue of the Monroe kids? And what about poor Kate? What will become of her….


	21. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Solutions and Compromises

_February 5, 2015. Thursday morning. Jason's house._

Jack had never before been in such an awkward situation. He leaned back against the kitchen counter and watched as Jason made breakfast for himself, Jack and Ianto. The kids had remained at the base so that they could be close to their mother and far from Mr. Franklin. It also gave the three men a chance to talk.

And what a talk they were going to have…

After Kahl's death they had all been rather shook up. Ianto had wanted to comfort both his partners and they had both wanted to comfort him in return. The knowledge that it was only going to get worse was humbling enough to make Jack and Jason put their differences aside and work together. For now.

Both men still wanted to be the one Ianto chose. They both wanted to spend the rest of Ianto's life with him, making him happy. They both understood that Ianto would break his own heart as well as that of one man or the other when he made his choice.

Even with the traumatic events of yesterday they all three decided to have this conversation sooner instead of later. Who knew what was going to happen over the course of the next few days? Who knew who would live to see the end?

Outside it was raining. It had started right after Kahl had been shot. The downpour had continued through the night and was looking to continue for a while. In other parts of the world the weather was wreaking havoc on everything. February was a difficult time of year weather-wise for many parts of the world but in less than twelve hours there were reports of massive flash flooding and rampart fires. Emergency services in the United States alone were gearing up for what was looking to be an environmental crisis. A state of emergency had been issued in several states already, including West Virginia.

It was only going to get worse.

"It's the Rifts, isn't it?"

Jack looked up at Jason's voice. He watched as the other man cracked open a few eggs and added them to the frying pan.

"Yeah." He raised his eyes to the ceiling. Upstairs Ianto was taking a shower. He looked back at Jason.

"I suppose it's better than having multiple eras bumping into each other."

Despite the situation, Jack grinned. "Yeah, it is. When the Cardiff Rift was opened a few years ago, I got to see and subdue an actual Roman soldier. Kinda cool, actually."

Jason let out a snort and shook his head. "I would rather have a Roman soldier than this crazy weather. In Greece it's snowing. Not a light, melts-before-it-hits-the-ground snow, but a wet, slushy, can't drive anywhere snow. And it just started a few hours ago."

"So much for taking a holiday there, then."

"Yeah." Jason glanced up at the ceiling as the shower turned off. "Ianto will make us coffee when he gets down."

"Are you telling me or reassuring yourself?"

That got a bark of laughter from the Bluemont leader.

"Both."

"So he's still anal about who makes coffee, huh?"

"To compensate for his lack of culinary skills, he makes fantastic coffee. Not to mention he can be downright terrifying when anyone goes near the coffee maker."

"Too bad the coffee maker from the Cardiff base was busted during the explosion," Jack sighed. "No one but Ianto could work his magic on it. It made the most unbelievable brew ever."

Jason scooped the scrambled eggs into a bowl and handed it to Jack.

"On the table, please."

"You got it."

Jack set the bowl down and looked around the well-stocked kitchen. It was clear that Jason spent a good deal of time preparing and enjoying meals in this room. He could easily picture Ianto and Jason making dinner and doing the dishes after. He could see them folding the laundry and changing the bed clothes while they squabbled over things like taking out the trash or going to the grocer for milk. For Jack it had been a long time since he'd had a place like this-- a place that he could call home.

Ianto deserved a home. As much as Jack would have liked for home to be the Hub, he was beginning to see how well suited his lover was to domesticity. If he were to choose Jack and return to Cardiff, would he want to try to recreate this warm atmosphere or would he let yet another dream go?

"The dishes are in the cupboard behind you," Jason said suddenly. "And the silverware is in the drawer to your right."

"Three settings?"

"Unless you were planning on just watching." Jason dropped a pat of butter into the pan and watched it melt.

"Heck no! Been a while since I had a home cooked meal."

"Ianto mentioned that it was usually take-away or frozen entrees."

"Well, sometimes Gwen and Rhys have me over for dinner but yeah, usually one or the other."

"Convenience foods should be used sparingly. That's something I've struggled to get across to Ianto. Before we got together -- got back together-- his kitchen had nothing but beer, coffee, cereal, ramen noodles and frozen entrees. If he'd at least kept some fresh fruit or vegetables around it would have been a little better."

"He seems to be doing alright now."

"It wasn't easy, I can tell you that," Jason said. He tested the heat by sprinkling a drop of water into the pan. It sizzled nicely so he ladled some pancake batter into the pan and grabbed the spatula.

"He's pretty stubborn, isn't he?"

"Extremely stubborn. Insanely so, I would hazard to say," Jason agreed.

Jack grinned and looked down at the neatly set table. Three bowls, three plates and three glasses. He carefully laid out the silverware (fork, spoon, knife) and stepped back to admire his handiwork.

"You know," Jason said casually. "It's more the fact that he can't let go."

"Pardon?"

"His thoughts often turn to you, even when we're in bed."

Jack looked up and frowned. "Even when he thought I'd betrayed him?"

"He never once gave up hope that you would come back." Jason poured in more batter and watched as it bubbled. "I think, deep down, he knew that you would never have done that. But he was too unsure of what he meant to you to believe it completely."

Now Jack smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I have a bad habit of making people wonder if I actually care or not. It's something that's hurt me more times than I can count."

Jason was silent as he flipped the pancake. It was not a perfect circle, just the way he liked it. Nothing was perfect and he hated anything that tried to come across as being so.

"Last night Ianto told me how he almost slept with you that first night."

"Would you believe me if I told you that it was he who made the first move?" Jack asked. He opened up the refrigerator and took out the carton of orange juice.

"Yes, I would."

That surprised the immortal.

"Why?" Jack asked as he poured the juice into the three glasses.

"Because he waited for you for so long. How could he not take the opportunity?"

"You're taking all this pretty well," observed Jack.

"Must be the 51st century genes."

"Haha."

Jason's chuckle made Jack smile.

"Seriously, Jack…"

Jack looked up and met the dark eyes.

"He's going to choose only one of us in the end," Jason said. "But he shouldn't have to do without the other."

"No, he shouldn't," Jack agreed. He folded the flap on the carton back down and returned it to the refrigerator. There was a bowl of fruit salad on the top shelf so he took it out.

"Jason," he said after a moment of staring at the fruit. "We can't continue to fight over him. If we do, then we both risk losing him. As badly as I want him to come back with me, to make a life with me…" He hesitated and set the bowl down on the table. "I would rather he be here with you and get to live out the life he's always wanted."

"He wants children," Jason said softly. "That's something I can't give him."

"You can adopt," Jack pointed out.

"Or he could go with you and you could give him a child."

"He told you about that?"

"He shared a fair amount of information on you, yeah."

"My secrets…" Jack sighed. He had never really spoken to Ianto about that. The pain he had felt when he learned that Jason knew he was immortal had been forced to the back of his mind. Now it tried to return but he squashed it. It didn't matter anymore.

"He wasn't being malevolent. He was simply trying to get me to understand why he couldn't let you go."

Jack nodded and then turned to the drawer to search for a serving spoon for the salad.

"It's okay. I think it was because he'd betrayed me a few times before that I overreacted."

"We both overreacted that day, I think."

"I can't believe we dislocated his wrist!"

"I was so sure he was going to order Sam to shoot us!"

The two men laughed at the memory of their first fight over the man they both loved.

That was when it hit them. The same thought at the same time.

"Jack, whoever he chooses…"

"Shouldn't make him say goodbye to the other."

They smiled at each other.

"You know, Jason," Jack mused thoughtfully. "If it weren't for the fact that we both came into this situation with chips on our shoulders, I think we would have been friends."

"Who says we still can't be?"

"You would do that?"

"Yes. You?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

"For Ianto." Jack took the plate of hot pancakes that was held out to him. He set it on the table next to the eggs and the fruit salad. "He loves you. How could I not want to be friends with you?"

"Then it's settled," Jason stated firmly. "No matter who he chooses, we'll both be here for Ianto forever."

"Deal."

Jack held out his hand; Jason took it. They shook and smiled at each other.

It wasn't an ideal solution but it was one that would guarantee them both a place in Ianto's life and in his heart.

"Is breakfast ready?" Ianto asked as he walked in. He was dressed in a gray suit with a white shirt and red tie. His hair was still damp from his shower. "Oh, good. I'll make some coffee."

As they watched the man they loved more than life itself fill a pot with water both Jack and Jason knew that whatever Ianto decided, it would be the right decision for them all.

And that was good enough for them.

~_~_~

_Mid-morning. Torchwood Bluemont. Boardroom._

Susan stood at the head of the table in front of the large monitor on the wall.

"Captain Hart and I have gone over the schematics several times," she said as she pointed to the latest Rift readings. "The Rifts are all indeed moving to meet here at Bluemont. This town, our base, will be ground zero. If the Rifts meet then there's a good chance that Bluemont, West Virginia will be completely destroyed."

"Well that's good to know," Jack said as he leaned back.

"Any way to stop the Rifts?" Jason asked.

"The Vortex Manipulators." Susan picked up a wrist strap that lay on the table. "This is the one that Suzie used to come here. Captain Hart has shown me how to work it and I've worked with Christine to figure out a way to adapt it for our purpose."

"You're going to tap into the Time Vortex," Jack said in awe.

Miranda and Sam exchanged a worried look.

"What," Miranda asked. "Does that mean?"

Hart stood and joined Susan. He took the wrist strap from her and tossed it in the air like it was a toy.

"Quite simple, my dear," he said. "Vortex Manipulators work by bending time and space around a single thing. They then can transport that thing to a different time or place in the blink of an eye. But the lovely Susan and Christine have reconfigured the settings based on my superior knowledge." He looked about the room to see if they were all following him. "The signal has been copied and is ready to transmit to the Torchwood satellites."

"When was this decided?" Jack asked curiously.

"Yesterday," Gwen said.

"Jack, your father has designed a Time and Space Paradoxical Engine," John said.

"He what?" The expression on Jack's face could only be called horror.

"That's why he needs the Rifts to converge," Susan explained. "The energy produced will then create the Engine and keep it running forever."

"Or," Jason said calmly. "Until we stop it."

"That too."

Jack shook his head at the continued lunacy that his father was drowning in. He loved his father, there was no question about that, but he couldn't allow this to happen. Not only was Ianto in danger but the whole of creation was at stake. He looked up as Ianto took hold of his hand and smiled at his young, worried lover.

"Okay," he said, squeezing Ianto's hand. "So what do we need to do? Reality might be boring at times but I kinda like it the way it is."

Susan took the wrist strap from Hart and placed it on the table.

"Gwen has sent out a mass email to the other Torchwoods across the globe. Thankfully they all believed her and agreed to the plan. Once the signal has been sent to all the branches, we'll need to transmit it in one big wave. Then, as soon as the initial transmission is finished, Hart and I will lock the signal through the three Manipulators and the Rifts should freeze."

"Should?"

"Sorry, Jason, that's the best I can give you," Susan apologized.

Hart added, "Considering that this has never been done on such a grand scale, I'd say we have a 50% chance of this working."

"Alright," Jason said. "50% is better than zero. Bobby, set up a network with the other branches. We need to transmit at the same time to increase the signal."

"It'll take a few of hours to link up all the bases," Bobby put in. "There are over fifty all over the world."

"You have two hours. Christine, help him."

Jason looked around at his team. The Bluemont staff, his college aged daughter, a Welsh woman, a 51st century Time Agent, a former traitor and an Immortal. Not an orthodox group but if the world was about to end he couldn't think of any other team he'd preferred to face it with.

"Okay, the world has accepted that aliens exist. The Battle of Canary Wharf, the Daleks trying to subjugate our species, the events of five years ago with the 456 and that mess with Harold Saxon have made humans realize that there's more out there than they once thought. However, the greatest danger isn't alien. It's human. A man ripped apart by grief wants to destroy our planet and the planet is dying as a result." He paused and reached for his cup of coffee but didn't drink it. "I've studied Rifts a lot since joining Torchwood. The Rifts are trying to purge our planet of what they see as negative energy. That's why the weather is so nuts right now. It's only going to get worse. Already there are reports of people getting hurt, even dying. Flooding, fires, earth quakes… Flights all over have been grounded. People are stranded at the plane and train stations the world over. It's only just begun. There's also no way of knowing if it will end when the Rifts are frozen or if we succeed in stopping Mr. Franklin. The damage may be so great that the Earth will not recover in our lifetimes. If anyone wants to leave and go back home to be with their loved ones during this, I won't stop you." He gazed at each member of his staff, handpicked by him, and tried to gauge their feelings. "No one will think badly of you if you should decide to leave. Least of all me."

There was complete and utter silence in the room. No one made a sound as they all looked at each other.

"I think," Jenny said slowly. "That I can speak for everyone when I say that our place is here."

"Yeah," Sam said. "Like you said, we don't know what's gonna happen. We can do our best if we're together. If we leave, then it's like we're inviting the destruction."

"I'm with them," Suzie said. She placed a hand on her stomach and smiled. "I may not have much to live for, but I do have something to fight for. If I should die without ever seeing my baby then at least I'll die knowing that I did my best."

The rest of them voiced similar sentiments. It was rather humbling for the proud man to see the devotion in his team's eyes and the determination on their faces. He had done well when he picked them.

"Okay, I know several of you have family out of state. Contact them and do your best to reassure them. That goes for all of you." Jason stood and switched off the monitor. "We have plenty of supplies here at the base but I'm giving everyone one hour to go home and get anything you think you might need. Because of the danger I want you to go in groups. Bobby, have someone get you whatever you need. We need to get the network set up. We'll meet back here in one hour. Go."

The room emptied quickly. While the Bluemont staff hurried out the door to go home, Gwen took out her phone and called Rhys. Bobby and Christine got to work on the network and Hart took the three Manipulators over to a desk to finish his configurations. Suzie, having no family or home to go to, walked into the kitchen to occupy herself with food.

That left Jack, Ianto and Jason in the boardroom.

"That was fast," Jack quipped.

"Perhaps you should call her," Ianto said.

"Who?"

"Your daughter."

"I haven't spoken to her in over five years."

"And you may not even now but you could try."

Jack stood and pulled Ianto into his arms. He kissed the other man and held him close. When he pulled away he pressed his forehead to his lover's.

"Can I borrow your phone? Every time I call her from mine, she ignores it."

Ianto smiled and took his phone from his pocket. "I have a phone call of my own to make."

"Me too," Jason said. He then reached over and pulled Ianto's head around and kissed his lips. "Don't forget you two. One hour."

"One hour."

~_~_~

"So do you think you'll be home soon?"

"No, Rhys," Gwen sighed. "Believe me I wish I were there now. How's Edward?"

"Fine. He misses you. But then, so do I."

"I want you to do me something, yeah?"

"Name it lovely."

"I want you and Edward to go to the Hub. Lois knows what's going on so she'll be expecting you. Make sure the cupboards are stocked as it might be a while before you can get to the store."

"Sure thing. I'll just toss a few things in a suitcase. Want me to call your parents for you?"

"Please." She licked her lips. How many times had she thought she'd never see her husband again? "I love you."

"I know. I love you too. Be careful."

"You too." Her breath hitched a little. "Give my big boy a kiss for me."

"I will."

"Bye."

She flipped her phone shut and pressed it to her mouth.

_I'll be home soon. I promise._

~_~_~

Jack sat on the steps that led down into the alien containment room. Just yesterday he had been down here and Ianto and he had snuck off to be together. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

He had the number memorized. Every week, sometimes twice a week, he would dial the number and listen to the voicemail greeting. Each time he would leave a message until the time ran out.

He was always out of time.

His fingers punched the correct sequence of buttons and he waited.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.

"Hello?"

"It's me. Don't hang up… You don't have to talk to me just… Just listen."

He could hear her breathing on the other end.

"I love you. I know you think of me as a murderer, a monster and you're right. Steven wasn't the first person I've sacrificed for the world. I doubt he'll be the last." He blinked back the tears that pooled in his eyes. "But I loved him so much. Like I love you. You hate me and that's alright. You should hate me. I killed your son. And I got the most wonderful person killed because he loved me."

For a moment it almost seemed that she as going to speak but then changed her mind.

"The world is falling apart and I can't be there to protect you. Once again I failed you as a father. Hell, I couldn't even be your friend. You were right to not let me in and I'm sorry that I always let you down. Even if the world does end this time, it can end knowing that I'll be forced to carry on alone. I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm crossing my fingers that we can stop this and save the world. I'm even hoping that Ianto, my beautiful Welshman, picks me to spend his life with."

Jack lowered the phone for a moment as a surge of emotion threatened to overwhelm him. He wiped at the wetness on his face and sniffled a little.

"No matter what happens, I wanted you to know that I love you. From the moment I found out I was going to be a father I loved you. I couldn't be prouder of you if I tried." He stopped for breath and closed his eyes. "Take care of yourself Alice. I can't protect you right now so please be careful. I love you."

He was about to push the 'end' button when he heard four words that made the tightness in his chest a little less painful.

"I love you too."

~_~_~

"Davies residence."

Ianto heard the soft voice of his niece. The last time he'd seen Mica he had tried to get Rhiannon to let him take her.

"Mica, is your mother home?"

"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"

He closed his eyes. "Tell her it's an old friend."

"Okay."

He heard her put the phone down and trot off to get her mother. He tried to steady his breathing as he waited. There was no way of predicting how his sister would react.

"Hello?"

"Rhiannon. It's me."

Her voice was a hushed whisper. "Ianto?"

"Yeah. Look, I can't explain but basically I didn't really die."

"And you just now thought to call me?"

"It's a long story that I'll tell you one day. Right now, I just wanted to hear your voice."

"What's wrong?"

Even across the ocean she could sense something wasn't right.

"The world may truly be ending. What happened five years ago with the children was barely the beginning. It was only a taster for what was to come."

"You mean this weird weather is because of… aliens?"

"The worst people imaginable are human, I'm afraid. A man, a madman, is trying to change reality. But don't worry, we're working on it."

"Jack… he's with you? He came to the service. I was so angry because I blamed him."

"He's here, yes."

"Then keep close to him. I want to see you when this is all over."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to come for a visit."

He wondered what she would think when she learned about the romantic predicament he was in.

"Rhi, I've got to go. We have a lot to do if we're to save the world. Can you do something for me?"

"What?"

"Two things. First keep the family close. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you have to, go to Mum's old house on the hill. The second thing-- don't tell anyone I'm alive. When all this is over and I come home, then we'll deal with it. Okay?"

"Sure. Ianto? Take care of yourself." She fell silent. "He loves you, you know. Jack, I mean."

Ianto smiled. His lips still tingled from both kisses.

"I know. Gotta go. Got a world to save."

He hung up the phone and leaned back onto his desk.

"Okay, Mr. Franklin. Take your best shot. But I should warn you," he muttered to the empty office. "I will kill to protect both of them. You can count on that."

~_~_~

Jason closed his phone and sighed. His family was thrilled that the kids and Kate had been found but wanted to know what the hell was happening. It had taken his father asserting authority to get them all to shut up long enough for Jason to assure them that everything would be fine. Richard wanted to drive to Bluemont but he'd put his foot down and told his son to stay put.

"You okay?"

He reached out and pulled Ianto to stand between his legs. He pressed his face into his fiancé's neck and sighed again.

"I may be half Greek but I still get exhausted when dealing with the family."

"Heehe. I could see that back at Christmas."

"Brat."

"And you love it."

"I do."

"I spoke to my sister."

"Was that a good idea? Shouldn't you have waited 'til you can do it in person?"

"Doesn't matter. After all, I may never get that chance."

"Don't you dare say that," Jason snapped. "Don't you dare even think it."

"It's unrealistic otherwise."

"Then be unrealistic. I'm not going to lose you to that madman."

Ianto huffed and leaned into the solid body.

"I love you," he said softly.

"Me too."

~_~_~

They were ready. All the Torchwoods were linked together through the satellite network. The Bluemont staff was all-eager with anticipation and trepidation at what they were about to do.

All that they needed was for Jason to give the order.

"Let's do it," he said.

Bobby sent the signal to the bases. At Hart's nod the countdown began.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

All over the world a button on a computer in a secret base known as Torchwood was being pushed.

All over the world a signal was transmitted to the Rifts via the satellites.

All over the world every single Torchwood operative held their breath as they watched on a screen as the signal manipulated the Time Vortex.

Susan risked a glance at her computer.

"It's working! Look!"

She pointed excitedly at the energy readings. They weren't going down but they weren't going up.

"It is working…" Jack grinned. "It's actually working!"

"Time has officially frozen within the Rifts," Hart said. He grinned at Susan, who laughed and hugged him.

"So nothing can get in or out?" Shelly asked.

"That's right! It's not a permanent solution," Hart said. "But at least it gives us more time."

"Then let's not waste it," Jason said. "Okay people, let's see what else we can do."

* * *

TBC.

NOTES!! A chapter that ended on a high note! Wow!!

Imagine how pissed Mr. F will be when he finds out the Rift expansion has stopped.

I hope that this chapter made sense, as I was a little worried that I may not have explained it right. My friend (bless him!) understood what was going on but he could just be weird like me or a total geek. If anyone got confused on what they did to freeze the Rifts, let me know. I suppose you could say that they placed a Time Lock (like the one Toshiko designed) over the Rifts.

The end is drawing near. I can't believe there's only a little bit more to go. Ianto still has to make his choice and hopefully most of your all's questions will be answered by the end.

The final chapter is written and the first chapter of the sequel is in the first draft. I will say this later too but THANK YOU ALL for being here with me. "Torchwood America" would be nothing without all of you!


	22. Chapter 19

Flash drives are such tiny things that are easily overlooked. My apologies for not updating yesterday since my flash drive decided to not get into my purse before I walked out the door. Enjoy!!

Chapter 19: Consequences

_Time/Dimension station._

Kahl had failed.

Kahl was now dead.

When would _he_ be next?

These were the main thoughts that tumbled and tripped through the frazzled mind of Keinder. The former Time Agent had been one of the low-level entrants into the Academy and had barely passed the curriculum. In fact, his being selected to the program was due solely to his grandfather's position on the Earth Council. If not for the old man's influence (and extensive bank account) then Keinder would never have managed to get as far as he had before the Agency fell.

But here on Mr. Franklin's Time/Dimension station there was no prestigious grandfather with big, deep pockets to rescue him. He was trapped because of his own stupidity and greed. All Keinder had left was himself and that was not a very pleasant thought.

He should have known, should have figured it out. Kahl and Costello had realized it but not he. He worked and slaved every second for a madman.

And there was nothing he could about it.

If he ran away he would be killed. If he escaped to 21st century Earth to help Torchwood he would be killed. If he tried to stage a mutiny on the station he would be killed.

He didn't want to die and so his only other option was to continue to follow orders.

Which was what he was doing right now.

The scared young man sat in the chair that Kahl had occupied only hours ago. His trembling fingers skittered across the smooth buttons of the keyboard as he ran test after test.

There was something (or someone, he shivered) that was keeping Mr. Franklin from going back to the time _before_ Jones and Monroe met. Mr. Franklin was certain that if he could get back to a point before the initial meeting then he would able to fix everything. The plan was supposed to see Jones with Harkness (who Keinder had only just learned was his master's son), Monroe to live his life far away from Jones and for Mr. Franklin's wife and younger son to be resurrected from the grave. After that Harkness would share the secret of his supposed immortality with his father and their entire little family would rule Earth forever.

It was a nice plan but somehow Keinder doubted it would work.

Too bad he hadn't realized that part sooner.

Since he was living up to his reputation for being stupid, he was now stuck trying to find whatever (or whoever) had locked away the time period before late 2004. That was the time during which Jones spilled a cup of coffee all over Monroe and set off the spar that would ignite their decades long love affair. Mr. Franklin could not get to any time before Christmas of that year. This meant that no matter how many times they went into the past they still were incapable of preventing Jones and Monroe from meeting.

Biting back a sigh, Keinder drummed his fingers on the desktop. His only assignment for the moment was to find out what was causing the block and how to stop it. The recent Time Freeze of the Earth's Rifts prevented them from using them as a means of transportation.

Who would have thought that the oh so flashy and flamboyant John Hart would have a brain between his ears? Or that he would have chosen to help Harkness protect Jones? Last he'd known, as well as everyone else from the Agency, Hart was insanely crazy about Harkness. Or maybe he was just insanely crazy.

"Have you found the source?"

Keinder cringed at the monotonous sound of Yvonne Hartman's voice. She was creepy.

"No," he said in what he hoped was a calm tone. "I'm still looking."

"Mr. Franklin wants results. He does not want to wait."

"I know. It's just... It would help if there was some clue. But whatever is blocking us is in the past and we can't get--"

"Are you certain?"

"Huh?"

"How can you be so sure that what has sealed the further past from us comes from the past itself?"

"What are you saying?"

Even though she was just a body, a mindless drone, Hartman's facial expressions could be so – expressive. She fixed her cold, empty eyes onto his ashen face. The look clearly said, "Are you stupid?"

"You are fortunate to aid a man who has a glorious future planned for us all. His vision of greatness will be completed by a station that can send anyone to any time on that planet. You once worked a menial position in a corporation that traversed Time for profit. And yet you limit your search to the time era that had been blocked?"

He chewed at his fingers in embarrassment and worry.

"The-- the future? Is that where I should look?"

"Future, past, present. All the spaces in between. These make up all of Time. What is. What has been. What will be. Do not limit yourself to just one."

She turned, smoothed down the front of her blouse and walked out of the room.

Keinder stared after her for a moment before returning to the task at hand.

His fingers danced across the keyboard with renewed purpose. Maybe the drone was right and the answer lied in the future.

He would find it if it killed him.

~_~_~

_February 11, 2015. Wednesday morning. Torchwood Bluemont._

Ianto shoved Jack hard against the brick wall of the archives. He ruthlessly plundered the Captain's mouth while the older man moaned into the kiss. Nimble fingers pushed the dark gray braces off the well-defined shoulders and began to undo the buttons.

"Dammit, Ianto... Not gonna last if you keep that up."

"Consider it payback for all those times you cheated at hide-n-seek, sir."

"Cheeky. Very cheeky."

"Thought you liked me cheeky."

"Shut up and kiss me."

"As you wish."

"Don't mean to break up the party," Jason drawled as he leaned against the wall opposite. "But some of us actually have to work in here."

Ianto pulled away quickly and Jack wiped a hand over his kiss-bruised lips. They both looked abashed at their intimate actions.

"Sorry..." Ianto started to automatically soothe his fiancé's worries.

"No need," Jason replied in an easy manner.

It was strange how easily both Jack and Jason had accepted the situation. Their adaptability amazed everyone. Even Sam had joked about a three-way marriage before Jenny had smacked him upside the head.

Perhaps it was the possibility that no one (save Jack) would survive that enabled them to get over their jealousies so easily. Or maybe it was because their feelings for Ianto ran so deep that they would both rather share than be left behind.

Either way it was working out pretty good for the three of them. The bickering had stopped and the two rivals worked well together. Ianto suspected that his two partners had even begun to compare sexual strategies and experiences when he wasn't around.

And knowing both men as well as he did, that actually intimidated him a little.

Or rather, a lot.

Jack flashed his typical easy grin at the Bluemont leader and did up the buttons of his shirt before responding.

"Anything of interest?" he asked as he attempted to smooth his hair down.

Jason pulled a chair out from the table the other two had been working at and sat down.

"More environmental disasters I'm afraid. Water levels have risen in about a third of the world due to the incessant rainfall and melting polar caps."

Jack sighed and smoothed down his mussed hair.

"So there's been no change there then? Damn." He shook his head and sat back down. It didn't even faze him that Ianto elected to claim a seat on Jason's lap. "Normally whenever the Vortex is used to freeze time it's able to correct the mistakes and repair the damage. But it's only been done with something small, like a single Rift. And we only had the wrist straps and tinkered-with 21st century equipment to work with."

"And we had to freeze a planet full of Rifts," Ianto put in. "Any luck on what's kept them from getting back farther?"

"No," Jason said. "Which hopefully is a good sign. If they can't get back farther than what they have already then at least we know they can't stop us from meeting."

Ianto nodded and leaned back. A part of him wanted to know what he was missing. While Jason had regained all his stolen memories, Ianto had not. Jason could remember everything about their previous life together. All the years that they spent working for Torchwood here in West Virginia until they eventually retired and spent the rest of their days simply living. He could even clearly remember what they had worn when they celebrated their tenth anniversary.

But Ianto could only remember up to that fateful Christmas with perfect clarity. His life with Jason, decades of joy and Torchwood, were only tiny snippets of faded images and sound. Try as he might, the memories just would not took root in his head. He considered the possibility that it was due to his feelings for Jack. There was also the fact that if they were right then Ianto had lost another timeline-- one that did not include Jason in the first place. He could not remember any of that either.

Maybe his head could only hold so much in it and had to get rid of the missing parts to make room for the newer parts?

"Such a face, Mr. Jones," Jack cooed at him.

"Shut it."

"But such a cute face."

"Not you too. I swear, you two ganging up on me just isn't fair."

Ianto smiled a bit at the joined laughter of the other two men. It was the moments like these when he felt that all his worries might vanish.

~_~_~

John Hart glanced at his wrist strap when it beeped. His face went from blank to surprise in a heartbeat as he looked at the information it contained.

"What is it?" Susan asked in a distracted manner. In her hand was another wrist strap. She and Hart were working on a way to use the Manipulators to get back to the Time/Dimension station without being detected or the personal shield giving out.

"Nothing." Hart smiled a bright smile and returned to work. He would address that little matter later.

"I think I got it," Susan said.

"Do tell."

"Quit batting your eyes at me."

"So sassy!"

Susan rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak when Shelly ran into the room.

"You guys!" the plump girl shouted. "You guys, come here!"

"Shelly, what is it?" Susan asked worriedly.

The rest of the team began to come up from wherever they had been. Jason – with Ianto and Jack-- looked at her with a curious expression on his face.

"What's all the hollerin' about?" he said.

He was in a good mood. Shelly chewed at her lower lip for a moment. His good mood would be gone in less than a minute.

"There's a broadcast on TV. You gotta see it!"

Sam picked up a remote and turned on the big screen TV mounted on the wall.

Jason's pleasant, almost happy smile vanished immediately at the figure on the screen. No one else was smiling either.

He wore a black suit with a black shirt. His brown hair was streaked with gray and neatly combed. Behind him stood a woman who had been dead for several years.

Jack and Jason both stepped a little to the side and blocked Ianto from view. It was a futile gesture since the man was not really there. But they didn't care.

Mr. Franklin seemed to look straight through the screen at them.

"People of the Earth: now that I have your complete attention I have a request for you." He smiled a cold smile. "I call it a request but if you do not follow through with it, then I am afraid that the consequences will be most... severe."

The entire room was silence as they stared at the face of their enemy for the first time.

"Every man, woman and child will submit to my control. Your police agencies and your militaries will follow my orders."

He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.

"You are all stupid, backwards people in need of guidance. I will provide that guidance. This world will finally become what it is destined to be under my rule. Yes, I am going to turn Earth into a glorious empire that will withstand the tests of time."

Mr. Franklin picked up a book from his desk and made a show of looking through the pages.

"My diary!" Ianto gasped. He pushed his way between his partners and pointed at the screen. "Jack, my diary! That's my diary!"

Jack gaped in astonishment at the beloved tome he had believed lost forever. He reached out and grasped Ianto's shoulder.

Mr. Franklin looked up from his perusal of the diary and stared at his unseen audience.

The Bluemont base could have exploded and no one inside would have even noticed. They all stared at the man on the television in anger.

"On this planet there are things that exist beyond your comprehension," Mr. Franklin continued. "Along these gateways through time, what some call Rifts, I have placed a series of bombs that are linked to my station. I have programmed the bombs to go off in exactly twelve Earth hours. The Rifts will collapse and take the planet with it into oblivion and darkness. Only those on my station will be unaffected. So now, people of the Earth, you have twelve hours to submit to my command or your pitiful planet will be destroyed."

Mr. Franklin again turned his attention to the book in his hands.

"All Earth governments must send to me a message stating if they will submit and join me. The frequency to be used has already been supplied. Anyone who wishes to be a part of my vision of greatness will be spared. All others will perish. Join me and we will build the most beautiful future for this world that will last forever."

The cold smile was the last they saw before the screen went black.

The silence continued for a few moments more before finally Miranda couldn't take it.

"What the hell..." she sputtered.

"Chaos."

They all turned to look at Jack. His hand still gripped Ianto's shoulder tightly.

"He wants to incite chaos so that when it gets really bad, when world wide eradication seems inevitable he can then swoop down and 'save' the world."

"And then," Jason added. "He'll come out looking like a hero, a savior. At least in his own mind."

"Exactly."

The two men, the two cousins, locked gazes as they considered that.

"We should contact the other Torchwoods," Gwen suggested.

Bobby scowled and faced her. "Good idea except that the communication satellites are locked down."

"What? How?"

"Probably deliberate interference from the station."

"We'll worry about that later," Jack said. He was in full leader mode. "The only thing we need to concern ourselves with right now are the bombs."

"Do a search and determined _what_ the bombs are, _where_ they're all at, _how many_ there are and _how_ to disable them," Jason ordered. "Hart, how are you coming along with those Manipulators?"

"We'll be able to get to the station via the Manipulators but the shields won't hold for more than a few minutes."

"If we could find the power source of the station," Christine said. "Then maybe we can deactivate the station itself?"

"Hart?"

"Sounds like a doable plan," Hart said.

"Then get to it," Jason ordered. "I don't want anyone to leave the base unless they absolutely have to. Until further notice, we're in lock-down. I'm not going to put any of you at risk."

"Jason," Ianto said. "It's like he's trying to draw us out."

"He thinks Jack can make him immortal," Suzie said. She looked over at her former boss. "Can you?"

"No. It's not something I can do." Jack ran a hand over his hair and sighed. "My own inability to die is due to an accident involving the Time Vortex, a ship that's bigger on the inside and a girl's wish that I was allowed to live. Problem was, she couldn't control the power she'd been given and instead of just saving my life, she extended it to the point where nothing will permanently kill me. It's not something that I can fix nor can I duplicate it for anyone else. If I could do the first, I would have followed Ianto into death and the dark. The second, and Ianto would have never been taken from me."

Ianto's eyes widened at the confession. Jack would have given up immortality for him… Jack would have made Ianto like him…

"Jack…"

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Jack cracked a dry grin and continued.

"So no, Suzie, I _can't_ make my father immortal."

"Costello," Miranda said. "What do you know about this plan?"

"I know that Mr. Franklin took over the Torchwood Institute so he could manipulate the timelines. But he read the timelines out of order. Ianto died because the 456 killed him. That wasn't meant to happen."

"Actually," Hart put in. "None of it was meant to happen. Not even any of this."

"Captain?"

"Think about it," Hart said. He hopped onto a table and began to swing his legs in a childish manner.

"Just tell us before I hit you," Sam snapped.

"Fine. Only because we have a clock to race." Hart puckered his lips and huffed. "Sunshine's mother came here from the far future, which enabled him to be born when he wouldn't have otherwise. Her trip through time changed the original timeline, particularly that of Ianto Jones."

"I thought Mr. Franklin did that," Jenny frowned.

"Ah! But Jason Monroe is not supposed to exist. His father died 3,000 years before his mother was even born. Jason Monroe is an impossibility that has become possible." Hart paused and looked at Jack. "I know you don't normally believe in coincidences, but you and he are both impossible."

"Haha, John."

"Ahem… To put it simply, Ianto Jones never met Jason Monroe. That timeline has been erased. Probably forever."

"Not erased," Shelly interrupted. "It created a parallel dimension."

"I suppose that's possible, seeing as Ianto doesn't remember it at all."

"I can't remember anything from either, actually," Ianto said. "I mean, I can remember everything before that Christmas when we were kidnapped. Nothing more."

"It will probably come back in time," Hart assured him.

"That's not really that important," Miranda said. "We need to disable those bombs before we do anything else."

"I found them!"

They all turned to look at Susan. The young woman was very excited if her speeding fingers on the keyboard were any indication.

"All the Rifts have a single explosive tucked inside. The bombs are linked by a single frequency. If the correct sequence of numbers is inputted, then we can disable them."

"But what are the numbers?" Jason asked. He came up behind her and studied the screen. He didn't even pretend to understand the gobbledy gook he saw.

"That's what I can't figure out."

Christine pulled up a chair next to Susan and leaned over for a closer look.

"Let me try. Maybe I can figure it out."

Jason tugged on his daughter's ponytail to get her attention. "Work with Bobby. Susan, you and Hart look for an alternate way to stop the bombs from exploding. Everyone, back to work. We have less than twelve hours to save the world."

~_~_~

_All over the world._

The broadcast had been shown on every television channel in every country. It had popped up on the various video websites on the Internet. Even people who had not seen the broadcast knew about it in less than an hour.

People the world over were in a panic. Schools and businesses closed early. Police, military and scared citizens overran the streets. Hospitals were already overcrowded with patients who had been injured in the panic.

World governments gathered as quickly as possible to determine if the threat was real or not. They also needed to decide if they were willing to risk the lives of the Earth.

The clock was ticking.

Tick tock.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

"What will they do?"

Mr. Franklin pulled Hartman to sit on his lap.

"They will discuss their options and make their decision."

"If they choose to go against you, will you destroy the Earth?"

She did not sound interested or worried. She was merely playing the part of the devoted, loyal lover. If he had written out a script for her to follow, this would be it.

"No. The bombs will indeed explode and collapse the Rifts into themselves. Once that happens, it will release a virus into the atmosphere that will kill everyone on the planet. When all life has ended, we will then go and claim the 21st century for ourselves. We will rebuild humanity from the ground up. You, my lovely little drone will be by my side."

Hartman then did something that made him blink.

She tilted her head a little and asked, "What of your wife? Are you not restoring her life-force to her body?"

Mr. Franklin stared at her for a moment. Was there joy in her voice? Did drones feel joy?

He shook himself; he must have imagined it. His eternal empire was close at hand. No doubt his mind was playing tricks on him.

He had not forgotten his wife. She was still so precious to him. But she had never been all that she could have been. Her heart was very large and her mind sharp but she had looked much more homely when he compared her to the other women he had seen since her death. Her consciousness in Hartman's body would make her into the perfect partner to stand beside him as he ruled the Earth forever.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont. Less than four hours left._

"AGH! We've tried everything!"

Bobby pushed angrily away from the computer. The last several hours he and Christine had attempted to crack the code but nothing had worked. And they had run out of ideas.

Equally worried, Christine gnawed at her fingers as she tried to think. Voices all around distracted her and she wanted to scream for everyone to just shut up. Instead she continued to gnaw while she looked around at everyone else. Her gaze landed on her father who was talking quietly to Shelly and Erin.

It seemed like a lifetime ago when she had been happily awaiting the news that her father and Ianto had set a date. Now Captain Harkness's father had probably prevented that from ever…

Her brown eyes narrowed as she stared at her father. Then she looked over at Jack and Ianto who were working with Gwen on something or another. A thought, clear as day, came to her. She whipped around and slapped her fingers onto the keyboard.

Hart looked up and frowned at the noise before his attention was seized by the readings on the monitor. The red dots that indicated the location of the bombs on the world map were blinking.

"The bombs… You've done it!" he exclaimed.

Everyone else turned to look at Hart and then at Christine.

"Captain Hart," Christine said. "Can you transmit the shield frequency of your strap to the bombs?" Her fingers never stopped moving.

"And use the shields to contain the explosions. Sunshine, your daughter is a genius! Yes, I _can_!"

They all watched as the college student and a Time Agent worked together to accomplish their goal. On the screen they saw blue lines encircle the dots and the dots blinked faster and faster until they disappeared completely within the lines.

Susan leaped over to another computer and ran a quick scan.

"The bombs exploded but the shields were strong enough to hold as the Rifts are still frozen."

"How did you figure out the numbers?" Jack asked in amazement.

Christine stuck her tongue out at him and smiled.

"Well, I was thinking about Dad and Ianto getting married and how _you_ being here has complicated things. _You three_ are the most vital elements in his plan. So I simply typed your names down and saw what numbers in the alphabet they corresponded with."

"Huh?" Everyone's voices were as one as they uttered their puzzlement.

She turned the computer screen so they all could see. The names 'Ianto Jones', 'Jack Harkness', and 'Jason Monroe' were typed out with a dash between each. There was a number typed directly below each letter.

It read:

**IantoJones-JackHarkness-JasonMonroe**

* * *

"I don't get it," Sam said.

"Yeah," Shantaye agreed. "I mean, I get what you're saying but the numbers don't add up!"

Christine replied, "I wrote down their names in alphabetical order starting with their first names. Then I wrote below the number of each individual letter where it lands in the alphabet."

"But," Ianto said. "There aren't enough digits."

"That would be too easy. He had to make it tougher to figure out. See, some of the letters were in spots that were double digits, like 14 or 20. Those numbers I added to each other to get a single digit. 14 became 5. For the numbers with a zero, I simply dropped the zero. 10 became 1 and 19 became 10 which then became 1. Then I typed them into the bombs themselves and the bombs were disabled."

Jack burst out a bark of laughter.

"You _are_ a genius! It's just crazy enough to work!"

"Which it did," Christine said, only a little smug.

Jason's phone rang. He shook his head at the brilliance of his daughter and pulled it from his pocket.

"Monroe," he said.

"You've managed to stop my bombs. That makes me very angry."

"Mr. Franklin."

Jack turned towards him. His mouth tightened into a hard line.

"I still have weapons at my disposal so all you've done is set me back. However, I am willing to reconsider destroying the Earth."

"What do you want?" Jason demanded.

"For you to give me Ianto Jones."

"No deal."

"So you would sacrifice the world to save your lover?"

"You'll only destroy it anyway."

"I have sent coordinates to your communication device. Bring Jones with you. Perhaps I can be convinced to let you both live and the Earth as well."

Jason nearly busted the phone when he snapped it shut.

"What did he say?" Jack asked.

"He wants Ianto and me to meet him."

There was silence once more.

"Perhaps you should."

"Jack!" Gwen gasped. "Jason will be killed and who knows what will happen to Ianto?"

With a sigh, Jack turned to look at her.

"Do you think I would let them go alone?"

"Jack," Jason said. "It's an obvious trap."

"I know. But we have to try."

Ianto looked from one man to the other.

"So then, straight into the lion's den?"

"Grab your coat," Jason said.

"You can't be serious!" Jenny said.

"Sam," Jason said. "You're in charge while we're gone. Keep working. We'll be back soon as we can. Code APPLE."

"Got it." Sam looked away and hesitated. "Just make sure you _do_ come back, okay?"

"You can count on it."

Jack, Jason and Ianto made their way out the door and into the rain.

Death and darkness awaited them but they'd be damned if they let it win.

* * *

TBC.

NOTES!! I actually skipped a chapter and was glad I did. Had I put a chapter before this one I feel it would have drug it down and moved too slow.

What did you think of Christine's number solution? I took that from a school assignment I had a few years back where we had to 'create and explain a language' and my group made a written language where the letters and numbers translated in that way. It was shortcut to get the assignment done and get a passing grade. It worked, too!


	23. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: A Long Awaited Encounter

_February 11, 2015. Wednesday evening. Bluemont City Park._

Jason pulled into the parking lot of the city park. He parked his black convertible halfway between the park entrance and the playground. The park was dark and the ground sodden with wet mud and ankle-deep puddles. But at least the rain was not too heavy, just a light drizzle that soaked through his shirt.

Ianto and Jack climbed out of the car and joined him. Together, Ianto in the middle, the three Torchwood operatives walked towards the playground.

"I only told you to bring Jones."

Jason took hold of Ianto's arm and used his body as a shield of sorts to protect his fiancé. He looked over at the swing set to see Mr. Franklin sitting on a swing, gently moving back and forth. The man who had killed Kahl (Suzie called him Keinder) stood to his master's right. He was dressed in a black uniform that resembled overalls and held a futuristic gun in his trembling hand.

"I made the decision to come, actually… Father."

Mr. Franklin, who had not even looked at them, raised his head and stared. After a long moment his face broke into a delighted smile.

"Jace! My son… Oh, that's right. You go by 'Jack' now." Mr. Franklin stood from the swing and slowly made his way towards the trio of men. "But that's alright. I understand."

"Do you?" Jack asked as he moved to meet his father. He did not want to give the man a chance to hurt the others. He had to be very careful.

"Losing me, your mother and Gray must have been so hard for you. To continue going by the name we lovingly gave you at birth must have been too much."

"Actually, I chose the name Jack Harkness after a man who gave his life to protect the people who cared about. I have been trying to bring honor to that name ever since. It had nothing to do with losing my family."

Mr. Franklin frowned as he looked at the man who stood directly before him.

"So you do not even mourn them?"

"I mourn them every single day," Jack said. "I have blamed myself for so long for what happened to Gray. It was only recently that I learned that the Boeshane is gone and mother is dead. But even just being here, trapped in the past… Yes, Father, I have mourned and will continue to mourn for them both. Just as I mourned for you. As I mourned for Ianto."

His father's face twisted into something too ugly to describe.

"Ianto Jones…" Mr. Franklin hissed. "That little whore is the cause of all of this."

"Don't speak of him like that," came the soft but firm plea.

"He denied you once and he has done it again."

"He never denied me a thing."

"How can you say that?"

Jack smiled a soft smile as he recalled the first time he had seen Ianto. The smile grew sad as he recalled Ianto's death in the Thames House.

"He was never supposed to meet me. I know you researched my time line and discovered how much it hurt for me to lose him. That pain is something I will never deny. But that pain was not mean to happen."

"Jack, all I want is for you to be happy. If Ianto Jones makes you happy--"

"You have hurt so many people, Father," Jack said. "I lost Ianto because you changed the time lines. Can you understand that?"

"I will make certain that this time he never remembers Monroe. I will kill that Neanderthal and erase him completely from everyone's mind. It will be like he never existed."

"Then you yourself do not mourn your loved ones."

It was the quiet tone his son used that made him pause.

"What do you mean? I mourn for my entire family every second."

"Do you remember the baby that was born shortly before the invasion?"

"Yes, your cousin. She was named after her great-grandmother Adeliyah."

"Jason Monroe is her son."

Mr. Franklin stared at him in shock. Slowly he turned his head to look properly at the other two men who were a few yards away. He studied the strong, masculine features of the man he hated almost as much as he did Ianto. The shape of the eyes, the curve of the jaw… The perfect nose and even the quirk of the lips… They were that of his sister-in-law. He had found pictures of the girl several years after the invasion and could see her in Monroe's face.

Which meant that Jack was telling the truth. Jason Monroe was a member of their family.

But just as he started to feel remorse for his actions, he noticed the arm that Monroe had around Ianto's waist. He took in the gentle lean into the broad chest and the protective stance of the larger man.

And just like that, any remorse he'd felt was gone. All that was left was the anger and the need to avenge his loved ones.

"My son, he has stolen from you that which you most desire. I am sorry but he will be killed."

"Father…"

"Keinder! Eliminate Monroe!"

The other Time Agent touched his wrist strap and vanished. He reappeared a second later behind Jason and Ianto.

Jason idly wondered if they had actually thought that would work. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book. He cradled Ianto to him as they rolled away. The ground where they had stood moments before was scorched black.

Keinder let out a frustrated shout as Jack slammed bodily into him. The two men rolled on the ground and Jack managed to get a few good punches in.

And then Ianto vanished.

"Ianto!"

At Jason's cry, Jack looked up. He was then greatly relieved to see his lover trapped in a portable containment shield. His father stood next to it holding a remote.

"Really, how infantile your methods are," Mr. Franklin drawled lazily. "Now then, time for us to get down to business."

Both Jack and Jason pulled themselves upright and they shared an anxious look.

"What are you going to do?" Jack asked.

"I am going to do nothing at this time. You, my son, are." Mr. Franklin smiled and pointed at Jason. "Kill him, Jack. He is holding us back from greatness. Kill him now."

"What?" Jack breathed.

"No, please…" Ianto begged.

"Kill him."

"What good will it do?" Jack asked. "Ianto will hate me for it."

"He will soon forget all of that. He will be yours forever."

Ianto's eyes widened as Jack seemed to consider that.

"Jack… Don't!"

"So… I kill Monroe and Ianto _doesn't_ hate me? Is that it?"

"Exactly. He will love you as he should and stay by you forever. Isn't that what you want?"

"Harkness."

They all looked at Jason. Keinder was behind him, his gun aimed at the back of his head.

"Kill me already then, you bastard."

"Jason…"

"You'd just better spend forever making him happy or I'll find you in the darkness, dammit!"

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

"…and residents are being encouraged to stay indoors as the heavy rains combined with melted snow are causing a severe increase in flash floods."

"How's it coming?" Sam asked as he turned away from the television. Like he needed some newscaster to tell him that the world was going to shit. He could go upstairs and look out the window to see that.

"Fine. There are no more bombs and we're this close to finishing with the Manipulators." Susan typed away at her keyboard, not once even looking at him.

"Okay. What exactly are we going to do then?"

"We have three Manipulators here. The fourth is with Harkness. I've increased the power to the three we have so that they will cover up to two people a piece for a period of thirty minutes. Christine is trying to locate the energy source of the station so that whoever goes there can set explosives off that will blow the station to kingdom come."

"And what about whoever goes to the station? They could be killed."

"Which is why Christine is looking for the energy source. We will then program the coordinates into the Manipulators and transport the team within the room. They will have thirty minutes to set the bombs up and then get out. The countdown will last for three minutes before… BOOM!"

"Three minutes? What if they're caught after they set the bombs off?" Sam hated being out of his depth. He had never dealt with anything on this scale before. It scared the shit out of him.

Susan turned her attention onto him fully.

"They will take weapons with them. And I've programmed a safety feature into the Manipulators. If the explosives are activated and the team is still onboard then the Manipulators will freeze the bombs within thirty seconds."

"Thirty minutes, three minutes, thirty seconds… You have a three fetish?"

"You have no idea…"

"Pervert."

"I try."

Sam glanced back at the rest of the team, diligently working to save the world.

"So when are we going to do this?" Gwen asked as she joined them.

"When time's run out," Sam said.

"Pardon?"

"We're in a Code APPLE."

"Yes, what does that mean?" Gwen asked.

"Whenever the official leader of the base is incapacitated in some way, as Jason is, the highest ranking officer takes full command until the situation has been remedied or until one hour has passed. When an hour is up, then total command falls to the temporary leader --me-- and it is up to the new leader to decide what to do. When the fate of many or the planet is at stake then the base and its team are all expendable."

"You mean that if Jason doesn't come back in--" she looked down at her watch-- "Thirty-two minutes then you are in charge and we're all on a suicide mission?"

"Yep. Fun, huh?"

"But that's… That's insane!"

"Would you rather we let a madman erase us from history or create an empire of slaves?" Sam asked in a terse tone.

"There has to be another way!"

"Each of us signed a contract that stated we understood that the world and its people are more important than any of us." Sam looked her dead in the eye. "I have a girlfriend waiting for me at home. I have a kid who I hardly ever get to see and may never see again. Today may be my last. If it is, then I will die _knowing_ that I did everything in my power to save the world. I will die knowing that because of _my_ sacrifice I was able to buy the world a little more time." He gestured to the others across the room. "They all have people waiting for them at home. Ask them if they are willing to die right now to protect those loved ones for even a _minute_. They were not forced to sign anything; all of us _chose_ to sign it of our own free will. That's why Jason gave us the chance to walk away. It's also why _no one_ did."

Gwen cocked her head and regarded him shrewdly. Back in Cardiff she had people waiting for her. Rhys, Edward… Both needed her. Her parents were no doubt worried. Lois and the rest of the Cardiff operatives were probably --no, certainly doing their part to help even though they couldn't contact Bluemont.

Was she willing to die so that any one of them could live?

That was when Gwen realized that she was still the innocent, naïve young woman who had stumbled upon a top-secret organization nearly seven years ago. She still had a lot of growing up to do. She also had a lot of people she wanted to see again.

Yes, she would die right now if it meant that even just one of them was safe.

"Maybe when this is over," she ventured to say. "We can compare notes on Torchwood policies?" She smiled a bit at him.

"I'd be delighted, Mrs. Cooper-Williams."

They grinned at one another and then looked back at the clock.

Twenty-nine minutes.

~_~_~

_Back at the Bluemont City Park._

Jason and Jack stared at each other. Jack held his gun in his hand and had aimed it at Jason's head.

"I'm so sorry, Jason. I had hoped we could be friends. But I love him too much to lose him again."

"I know," Jason said. "That's why I want you to be the one to do it. You're the only one I trust to keep him safe."

Ianto had fallen to his knees in tears.

"Jack, please don't! Please, I love him!"

"Do it, my son. Kill Monroe and then join me."

"Jack… please…"

Jack began to squeeze the trigger.

Jason turned his eyes onto Ianto.

Mr. Franklin smiled.

Jack spun and fired his gun, the bullet hit the remote from his father's grasp and another hand caught it.

"Gotcha!" Hart shouted as he fiddled with the buttons.

The containment shield came down and Jason flung himself at Ianto. Hart crouched down and began to work his wrist strap. Jack was quick to shoot Keinder and dove to join the others.

"NO!" Mr. Franklin, his hand bleeding from the grazing bullet, snarled in anger. "You will not betray me, Jack! I am your father and you will obey me!"

Jack, one hand on Jason's arm to steady them both, looked at the insane man with a twisted snarl on his handsome face.

"My father died when the creatures invaded my home world. He might have been many things, but he was never a murderer. To ask me to kill someone because they too love someone important to me? My father would never have done that."

"So you will not join me?"

"Would Luke Skywalker have joined Darth Vader? No. So then Jack Harkness will not join Mr. Franklin. You want to destroy the world, you do it without me." Jack felt a familiar hand on his waist, offering comfort. "Ianto would never be able to forgive or love me at all if I killed Jason in cold blood. Erasing his memories wouldn't stop him from hating me. I would sooner he die _now_ than spend his life condemning me to hell."

"Then from this moment on, Jack Harkness, we are enemies."

"It's captain Jack Harkness," Jason snapped.

"I will destroy this planet and all of you. You will all be eliminated!

"Hart, Harkness! Now!" Jason shouted.

A silver light swirled around the four men and Mr. Franklin screamed in rage as they vanished.

"I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

"You made it! And with time to spare!"

The clock showed that they had returned to the base with eleven minutes left.

Jason grinned at Sam's relieved expression and replied, "Did you doubt me? I'm hurt."

"Shut it."

"Plus he had the aid of two dashing, sexy Captains on his side!"

"Hart!"

"Well, alright… one dashing, sexy Captain."

"I can't believe you three did that!" Ianto pulled away from his partners and gave them what Jason had termed the 'Patent Pending Ianto Jones Glare of Death'.

All three men -- the Time Agents and Jason -- hung their heads a bit as the glare was turned onto them in full force.

"Well?"

"Ianto, we kinda suspected that something like this might happen so we worked out a plan just in case," Jack said in a contrite tone.

The angry Welshman ground his teeth together as he looked at each of them.

"Jason and Hart could have been killed, you could have been captured and on top of it, you forgot the car!"

Three heads snapped up in befuddlement. Yes, they realized that he was talking about Jason's convertible but what did it matter?

"Do you realize that makes four cars that were connected to me that have been lost?" Ianto ranted. "First the car of mine that John Ellis committed suicide in had to be replaced because I refused to drive it after that. Then the SUV was stolen five years ago when I parked it outside my sister's house. Then we had to abandon Johnny's car once we got to the warehouse after we saved your sorry arse. And now the convertible is gone too!"

"Uh… Ianto? The convertible is at the park…" Jason began.

"Which, if you would all direct your attention to the monitor, has just been hit by a flash flood," Ianto said curtly.

They all turned and stared as the newscaster informed the city of Bluemont that its city park had just fallen victim to the heavy rainfall.

"How did they find out so fast?" Hart wondered aloud.

"Obviously a very dedicated and crazy reporter with a camera must have been out there looking for a story."

"Okay, but Ianto," Jason soothed. "It's just a car. I can get a new one."

"And I'll gladly foot the bill," Jack put in.

"That's _not_ why I'm mad!"

"Then why are you?"

"Because now I have confirmed my fears that I am cursed. Any automobile that I have ever or will ever be in will be lost."

Gwen snickered. Sam covered his mouth. The snort that escaped from Jenny finally did it. The room of Torchwood operatives burst into laughter.

Jack and Jason couldn't help but laugh at the miserable look on their lover's face.

"It's good to know that even as the world is coming to an end," Jason laughed. "That you still have a sense of humor about you."

Ianto smiled, which ruined the miserable look, and replied, "I do my best."

~_~_~

Kate slowly sat up in the bed. She tossed off the blanket and placed her bare feet on the cold floor. She stood and walked to the door. In her earlobes were two tiny earrings.

With slow, deliberate movements she removed the left earring. A small, thin stick emerged from the stud and she placed it tip first against the doorframe. The door unlocked with a soft _snick_ and she pushed it open.

Once outside she walked along the corridor that would lead her to the main part of the base. She could hear voices and followed them.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension station._

Mr. Franklin, his pride as battered as Keinder's face, watched as Kate moved through the base. He might not be the most educated individual but he was intelligent enough to prepare. And so he had prepared for the possibility that his son was too brainwashed to help him. What better tool of destruction to use than Jason Monroe's own ex-wife?

"You will not be allowed to betray me, my son."

Yvonne Hartman stood behind him and watched over his shoulder as Kate reached the threshold. Her deadened eyes became alive as she watched the poor, deranged woman.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

Ianto made coffee for everyone and passed them around. They knew that the crisis was far from over and they needed the energy boost.

Laptops and chairs had been lugged into the room so that they could confer with each other. Even the medical staff was at a computer sifting through the information in an attempt to find a means to an end. Handmade sandwiches sat on paper plates as everyone worked together. Even Rob and Katelyn were in the room but that was more so that they could be kept safe.

Once the last mug or Styrofoam cup had been handed out, Ianto sat on the floor next to Tamara and Shantaye. He was just about to comment on something Shantaye said when he saw a figure standing in the doorway.

"Kate?"

Jason, who was looking over Erin's shoulder, turned. His ex-wife had somehow been released from her confinement.

"Kate… what is it?" he asked slowly. He understood that her mind was most likely damaged beyond repair but he would not treat her like a china doll.

Her head slowly turned to take in the faces around her. She let the first earring drop to the floor and then reached up to press the other with her thumb.

An alarm sounded, taking Ianto, Gwen and Jack back five years ago to the night that the Hub was destroyed.

"A BOMB HAS BEEN DETECTED. TORCHWOOD LOCKDOWN IN FOUR MINUTES."

Susan flew at her computer and gasped.

"There's a bomb in her earring!"

"Can you disable it?"

"Trying…"

Jason turned to the others. "Get out. Now."

"Jason…"

"Go." He grabbed a laptop and shoved it into Erin's arms. "Stick together and keep fighting. Now GO!"

Susan kept working; Hart joined her, as the others began to run for the exit.

"Daddy?" Katelyn whimpered.

Jason pulled his kids close and hugged them. "Go with Ianto. He'll take care of you."

Ianto looked at his fiancé and kissed him. He then grabbed for Jack and kissed him.

"Both of you come back to me."

Jason pushed him and the kids towards the exit. He then turned to Susan.

"Do it and I'll make sure you regret it," she snapped. "I can stop this."

"Then hurry. You have two minutes."

He would knock her out if he had to. Hart could carry her easily.

The doors closed leaving Jason, Jack, Susan and Hart alone with an unbalanced woman and a bomb ready to go off.

"Can we use a Vortex Manipulator?" Hart asked.

"Yes but--"

"No buts," Jack said.

He was the one closest to Kate. He snatched the earring off her ear and started for the downstairs door. Downstairs was the firing range and several storage rooms. It was also farther away from the others and would help keep them safe.

"Jack!" Hart shouted.

"You guys take cover! There will still be damage but the base will still be usable."

Jason realized what he was saying. Jack was going to use the shield of his own wrist strap to contain the explosion. The damage to the base would be lessened but Jack-- Jack would be killed.

"Just because you can't stay dead…"

Jack flashed him a grin and waved.

"Tell Ianto I'm sorry. He hates it whenever I die. But tell him… tell him I love him and I'll be back. I promise."

He disappeared downstairs.

"HARKNESS!"

"TORCHWOOD LOCKDOWN IN FORTY-FIVE SECONDS."

Jason cursed, grabbed Kate and shoved her into the medical bay. He saw Hart grab Susan and they were quick to follow.

Outside the rest of the team waited anxiously for the all clear from below.

Jack reached the firing range and activated his personal shield.

"Ianto… forgive me. I'll come back. I always do."

The bomb exploded.

* * *

TBC.

NOTES!! The pace is picking up which means I may actually combine two chapters here soon to keep the pace consistent and as unboring as possible.

Sure, we all know that Jack will be okay, "CofE" proved that to us. But they are still racing agaisnt a clock and this time not everyone got out of the base.

Again, sorry I wasn't able to post yesterday but hopefully having two chapters will help with the pain and withdrawl (teehee!).

So let's see… Mr. F is mad at Jack, Jason and Ianto. Kate is now a helpless tool who may never recover. The world is being destroyed. Ianto still has to make his choice. And on top of it all… Jason's shiny black convertible is no more!

At least the end is near, right?


	24. Chapter 21

Forgive me for not posting this sooner! Two reasons-- the first is that my friend and I had an 'emergency editing session'. Chapters 21 and 22 had been one part but we elected to split it into two. It felt far too 'busy' to be a good read. The second reason is that we were also working on 3 (yes, three) new series. Ianto and Janto heavy. Look to my profile soon for details on those as well as the SEQUEL to "Torchwood America."

Chapter 21: Final Moves, Part 1

Jack reached the firing range and activated his personal shield.

"Ianto… forgive me. I'll come back. I always do."

The bomb exploded.

_February 12, 2015. Very early Thursday morning. Bluemont City Park._

"Jack? Jason? Answer me you big sods!"

Ianto's hand was pressed against his ear as he spoke into his earpiece. Katelyn was wrapped in his other arm and was crying. The others weren't much better.

The group were scattered on the street across from the Bluemont Genetics office. They had been safe from most of the blast. The office windows were shattered and the chairs inside were all outside. Shelly's neatly organized files were strewn all over the lobby. Only the counter top was intact.

Sam reached over and hauled Gwen to her feet as he climbed to his own.

"Everyone okay?" he asked. The nods and affirmative sounds he received in replied made him sigh in relief. "Okay, we need to--"

"Jason? Jack?"

Ianto's voice made Sam swallow. They might all have been alright but what about the others?

"Jack? Come on!" Gwen said into her own earpiece. She looked over at Ianto and they shared a worried look between them.

Captain Jack Harkness may be a Fixed Point in Time and Space but what if that didn't mean what he thought it did? What if he really wasn't immortal? What if his lucky streak had finally run out?

And what about Jason, Susan, Hart and Kate?

None of them had _ever_ been like Jack.

"Where's Daddy? Mommy..." Katelyn whimpered. Her face was buried against Ianto's chest and she was soaking his shirt with her tears.

Ianto bit his fist and blinked back his own tears. His two lovers were trapped inside the base. His world, his entire world was inside that base and there was nothing he could do.

"Hello? Anyone up there? We're getting a wee bit cramped down here!"

"Captain Hart?" Ianto said.

"You know anyone else with such a sexy voice, Eye Candy?"

"Are the others--"

"Well, the lovely Susan and I activated our Manipulators and provided temporary shielding that's only good for about another twenty-four minutes so do hurry before the wall completely collapses or Sunshine here castrates me?"

"What?"

"Need to be in close contact for the shield to fully cover. So I sacrificed my virtue to protect your valiant, sexy, big muscled Mediterranean lover. I had no choice but to--"

"Hart. Get off me before I kill you."

"Jason! You okay?" Ianto asked. He felt Katelyn press herself closer; she was as relieved as he that her father was alive and well.

"As okay as I can be considering I have a 51st century dandy straddling my chest. You guys okay?"

"Hart, get the hell off him. And yes, we're fine. Shaken, but fine."

"Good. The how about – HART! OFF! How about getting down here as quick as you can? Hart's right about the wall. It could cave in at any time."

"Where are you?" Sam asked.

"Medical bay."

Ianto smiled in spite of the situation. "Like with the Nostrovite? You have a thing for medical equipment? Should I be worried that you're having an affair with a scalpel?"

"You're cute when you're worried, ya know?"

"Shut it." Ianto gently disengaged himself from Katelyn. "Okay, we're coming down. Stay put 'til we get there."

"Eye Candy, where are we gonna go?"

Ianto chose to not respond; it would drive Hart crazy. Instead he focused on the situation at hand. There were five people who were trapped several feet below the surface and they had to rescue them.

Before the shields gave out.

before a wall fell on top and crushed them.

He forced himself to calm down; going into a panic would do no one any good. He was Second in Command, for crying out loud. It was time he acted like it. Right now he had work to do. Later, after he had both Jack and Jason in his arms, he would panic.

"Okay... Time to get to work. Kids, you stay close to Sam and me. Everyone... start digging."

~_~_~

So much pain. He was in _so much_ pain.

He could feel everything. Every single cell of his body was on fire.

He wanted to just die and stay dead but the curse that Rose and the Time Vortex had accidentally placed upon him would not allow that. No matter what killed him, he always came back.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this time he would stay dead. Maybe the curse had been lifted and he could finally rest? To live forever was so hard; he would welcome the Darkness if only he could stay.

"Have you ever loved anyone that much Jack?"

A voice. But he was in the Darkness. There were no voices here.

"Jack, I'm sorry for everything. For Mary, for not telling you... Can you forgive me?"

Another voice.

"You get to live forever, I get to die forever."

So many voices. So many memories.

Never before had he heard voices from inside the Darkness.

Ianto. Toshiko. Owen.

Wait! Ianto?

No, Ianto wasn't dead. He was _alive_. They had just kissed before.... Before the bomb.

"Ianto, you'll be trapped inside!"

That day was one of his many painful deaths. His body had been completely ripped apart, atom by atom, cell by cell. The pain had been so great that even after his body had reformed he had still felt it. His screams as wet concrete poured into his prison had not been of pain but of fear. He had barely felt the concrete hit him as his body was still on fire from dying.

The pain…

The physical pain he'd felt as he's exploded had only been trumped by a more emotional pain he'd experienced a few days later. Memories of a day so heartbreaking that he could never forget swam in his mind.

"Hey, it was... good, yeah?"

Yeah. It _had_ been good. Incredible, actually.

It had been the most fantastic ride of his life. He had learned how to forgive himself and to live life. He had been taught how to love even though he had known he would end up alone. The Darkness… once upon a time he had wanted to enter it forever but now… How could he _ever_ want to stay dead when he had a gorgeous Welshman waiting for him in the world of the living? Even when all he had left were his memories, he would keep on living just so he _could_ remember.

Ianto, Gwen, Owen and Toshiko. Torchwood and everything that they had shared, everything they did. He would remember it for all of time.

Because he had to.

When all that was left in the universe was himself, in some form or other, he wouls till remember all of them. One day, that would happen. He would be alone. But that day hadn't come yet. No, for now, he would live.

But first he needed out of the dark. It would help if his body were already healed as well.

_I'm Captain Jack Harkness. I was one of the top Time Agents. I traveled with the Doctor and Rose and I took on a station full of Daleks._

_Will I let something as small and petty as a blown up body stop me?_

He had a lover waiting for him. His best friend had a husband and child in Cardiff.

He was Captain Jack Harkness and he refused to stay dead.

His eyes, as blue as the ocean, opened.

He was alive.

~_~_~

It took almost an hour to get through the rubble to the others.

Sam grabbed Susan and hugged her. "Had us worried, chica!"

"Aw, didn't know you cared!"

"Shut it."

"You and Ianto are so alike..."

Sam grimaced and turned to look at the young man as he pulled Hart off his fiance and ranted about how he was going to kill the other man.

"Ianto," Jason interrupted the rant and hugged the other man close. His shoulder hurt like hell and so did his back but he didn't care. The kids, Ianto and the team were alright.

"Jason, you okay?" Ianto fussed over him for a moment before the kids crowded them.

"Fine. Sore, but fine."

"And Jack?" Ianto tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Where's he?"

Jason closed his eyes.

_"Just because you can't stay dead…"_

_"Tell Ianto I'm sorry. He hates it whenever I die. But tell him… tell him I love him and I'll be back. I promise."_

"_HARKNESS!"_

What _had_ happened to Harkness?

"Jason? Jason, where's Jack?" Gwen asked.

"He's... he took the bomb and...."

Ianto looked up at him. "No."

Not again. The last time, that day so long ago, Ianto had thought his lover lost forever.

"I couldn't stop him," Jason said. His eyes were filled with an emotion that couldn't be described. He had started out hating Jack but now he considered the man a friend.

"He had his Manipulator," Hart offered. "I think he was going to use the shield to contain the blast. Worked too, seeing as most of the base, except in the direction he went, are mostly intact."

"But Jack…" Gwen began only to stop.

"Jason, _where's Jack_?" Ianto started to panic.

"Right here, Tiger Pants."

They all turned and stared… and got an eyeful of a very naked Jack Harkness.

"Anyone up for a game of Hide-n-Seek?"

"Jack!"

"Honestly," Gwen said with a relieved grin. "You just can't go long without taking your clothes off, can you?"

"Clothes are _so_ inhibiting."

Ianto slowly pulled away from Jason and approached Jack. Tentatively he touched a fully healed shoulder. That couldn't be right. How could he had been blown up and be healed already?

"But... the last time it took you far longer to heal. I could hear you screaming as your body mended itslef back together."

Jack, heedless of his nakedness, pulled Ianto into such a passionate kiss that they all felt the heat.

"I had a little bit more motivation this time." Jack grinned and then frowned. "Anyone got a pair of pants? I feel a draft."

Jason rolled his eyes and said, "Okay, we still have a base. Clean-up will have to wait. Right now we need to see what systems we still have and then get to the station." He ran a hand through his hair. "And get the man some pants, already, will ya? Don't need the added blows to my ego."

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension Station._

Yvonne Hartman stood in front of a the mirror in her private room. This was the place she came to prepare for Mr. Franklin when he required her body. It was the one place on the entire station where there were no bugs, no cameras. There was no need.

Because she had no emotions or thoughts other than loyalty to Mr. Franklin. He could trust her. There was no need to watch her.

And so she was alone in the room with only her reflection for company.

And her memories.

That was the one thing that he had not erased. He had made the decision to keep her memory intact so that she would remember how much she cared about him. So that she would be even more loyal.

And in that incomplete logic lay a fatal mistake.

At the Battle of Canary Wharf she had been converted by the Cybermen. Before the end of the battle her physical body had been rescued and her brain recovered. Using technology that was much more advanced than anything the 21st century was capable of, her brain was reconnected to the severed nerves inside her head.

It was not perfect but it had done a good enough job to create a seemingly mindless drone.

In the mirror she saw her reflection. Her hair was still blond and wavy. her figure was as trim as it had been before. She was as lovely now as she had been before Canary Wharf.

However, she was not the same woman. Not anymore. She was just a body and a pretty face. Her only purpose was to stroke Mr. Franklin's ego, among other things.

But that was going to change.

Because Yvonne Hartman began her life as a human. Humans could think and feel and even though her brain had been a salvaged mess and its core functions had to be reprogrammed through the neural pathways in order to work with her body.

But she was _still_ human.

And she was tired of being played with as if she were a little doll.

She raised a hand and curled it into a fist. Her fist smashed the mirror and her eyes watched as the glass shattered before them.

It was time for Yvonne Hartman to stop Mr. Franklin.

It was time for her to prove that she was _not_ a mindless drone.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont. Early Thursday afternoon._

"Okay, I've got the core systems back online. The base is secure."

"Good work, Bobby. What about the Manipulators?" Jason asked.

Hart didn't even look up from his work as he answered, a pen between his teeth. "My wrist strap and the other have been drained. It'll take a while before they're recharged."

"How long?"

"Considering that we only have access to primitive 21st century technology with which to recharge 51st century Vortex Manipulators... I'd say about twenty-four hours. At best."

"Shit."

Jack, dressed in a pair of Sam's black pants and a white sweater of Jason's, leaned on a table and watched as Hart worked.

"Okay," he said cheerfully. So typically Jack. "My own strap has been damaged and drained with my heroic act. It's virtually indestructible but still needss to be repaired before it will be of any real use. That leaves us with one fully functioning Manipulator, Susan and Christine's adaptation of a Time Lock and a working percolator. We have the ability to make fresh coffee so we're not finished yet."

"So what do we do?" Jenny asked. "I mean, _can_ we do anything?"

"Our original plan."

They all looked at Jack in confusion.

"We go to the Time/Dimension Station and blow it up."

Confusion gave way to uncertainty.

"With only one working Manipulator? That means that only two people can go," Miranda pointed out.

"Sam, we got another Code APPLE," said jason.

Ianto looked up in alarm. "What? Jason, no!"

Jason turned and reached towards him. Ianto backed up. He shook his head, eyes wide.

"Ianto, this is bigger than us."

"You could be killed."

"Yeah. But at least I'll go out with style."

"Not funny. Not funny at all." Ianto looked away, his tongue poked between his lips.

"No, it's not. If you would look at me, you'd see that I'm not laughing."

"Jason," Jack began. "I can go by myself. I know what needs to be done."

"And you'll need help."

"So I'll take John with me."

"No. Me."

The two men stared at one another. It was almost like their first encounter; they were still such fierce, determined alpha males. Neither man was willing to give in.

"What happens to _him_ if you die?" Jack asked quietly.

"You'll take care of him." Jason's voice was equally quiet.

"What about the kids? They need their father now more than ever."

"They're the other reason I have to go. I can't risk Mr. Franklin gaining a foothold on this planet. My children, my friends and my fiance are all on the planet. If he succeeds then they're all in danger. I'm going, Jack."

Jack scowled at him before replying. "Okay. But only because you're an arrogant lout who doesn't know when to quit."

"Must run in the family."

Jack grinned and turned back to the others. He took the wrist strap from Hart and fiddled with the controls.

"So, you're going then?" Gwen said. She bit back a sigh. "Jack, he's a madman but he's your father too. You're too close to the situation to think rationally."

"I'm hoping he'll think that too."

Jenny spoke up, saying, "She's right. If you go up there you're father will tempt you. He'll do whatever he can to make you choose him."

"Won't work."

"Why not?"

A grin, a flash of an emotional that was indescribable.

"Because I'm Captain Jack Harkness." He jerked a thumb behind him. "And he's Jason Monroe. That's more support than I could ever have wished for."

"Sam, you're in charge."

"Why not Ianto?"

"Because I don't think he's going to be very cooperative right now. Like Gwen said, he's a little too close to this think rationally."

"And I am here in the room," Ianto snapped. "I can think rationally, thank you."

"Ianto, Sweetheart," Gwen said. "The kids really need someone roght now," she soothed.

As if they understaood what she was doing, Rob and Katelyn practically smothered Ianto as they pressed close for comfort. His arms reflexively encircled them and he met their father's eyes.

"Just promise me that you'll come back."

"Have I ever broken a promise to you yet?"

"We really need to get started," Jack said.

Jason turned to his team. "Sam, Miranda. We'll need guns and explosives."

"Any particular guns in mind?" Sam asked as he started towards the armory.

"I'm thinking just regulation police. They'll be expecting something more dramatic not something primitive."

"Got it."

"And we'll take the short range grenades. Susan, can you program them for a countdown?"

"Yep. Just need a few minutes."

"You Americans are just full of surprises," Jack said.

"Don't ever forget it!" Miranda said.

~_~_~

_Bluemont City Park._

It took nearly an hour to prepare. Jason and Jack now stood at roughly the same spot where they had been before, after Ianto had been freed from the containment field.

They each had a gun in their hands and a bag of grenades over their shoulders. Each of them sported a red hand print on their cheeks from where Ianto had slapped them before storming off to babysit the kids. Needless to say, he was still not happy that both his lovers were going into danger alone.

"So, your face still hurt?" Jack asked as they looked up at the sky.

"Uh-huh. Yours?"

"Yeah. He's got quite an arm on him."

"Would have been nice to get a kiss instead."

"Yeah."

"So, gonna activate that thing?"

"You ready?"

"Yep."

"Then let's do it."


	25. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Final Moves, Part 2

_Time/Dimension Station_

The light swirled around Jack and Jason. When it faded and they could see, they were on the station.

The two men stood at a crossroads. There were six different corridors leading down in different directions. The walls of the corridor were painted slate gray. There were no windows, only closed doors

"Any idea which direction?"

There had been no time to find the exact location of the station's power source so they had to wing it. It had been a mutual decision that the shields would not be used until necessary. They only had thirty minutes of power to the shields and couldn't waste it.

"I say...." Jack looked in every direction. "That way!" He pointed to the nearest left corridor.

"Any particular reason? Or did you just pull that out your ass?"

"I like the way it looks."

"It looks like all the others, Jack."

"Yeah, but it looks... sexy."

The eye roll made Jack chuckle and they started down the nearest left corridor.

And unseen by the two of them, a mindless drone trapped in a pretty blond head watched as they walked.

~_~_~

Mr. Franklin sat at his desk with the journal of Ianto Jones. It was a fascinating read. The boy had written so many thoughts about Torchwood and Jack. There were also other entries that really intrigued him.

_"I had that dream again. There was no Lisa, no Canary Wharf. No Jack, no Cardiff. Just me. And a man. A man that I've only seen in my dreams. I don't know who he is or what he looks like but I know that I can trust him."_

So, the little whore _did_ remember. And here he had believed that the memory erasure had nearly worked.

_"Jack asked me this morning why I was crying in my sleep and I had no answer. He assumed it was because I had nightmares about Canary Wharf and I didn't correct him. I didn't want to worry him. But when I dreamed... when I dream of him... of that man... Every time I dream of him, I wake up in tears. My heart feels so heavy. It hurts. Like I'm missing something. I used to believe that it was because of Lisa but I'm beginning to question myself. Not about Jack. Of that, of my feelings for him, I am sure. I love him. But that man... that man... There's something about him. I want to see him. If I could just see him. I know that my fears, my dreams will be answered. I need him. I love him. My God... am I in love with a dream?"_

Yes, Ianto did indeed remember. His mind would have to be erased back to an infant like state. Only then would the correct memories be able to take root. It would be a painful process and would take several days to complete but this time it would work.

"Soon, my son. Soon it will all be ours."

~_~_~

She watched on the screen as Jack Harkness and Jason Monroe crept quickly down the corridor.

She could have stopped them. All it would take was the push of a button. Then all this would be over. Monroe would be dead and Harkness would be forced to follow his father or the planet would be destroyed.

But she did not even consider the button.

When she had worked at Torchwood Tower she had met Harkness several times. He was as cocky and self-assured as everyone said. But she had known even back then, before Mr. Franklin, that Harkness was not all that he seemed. She had seen the sadness in his eyes that he hid behind a smile and flirty banter. He had been waiting for the Doctor to come and make him right again. He had been lonely.

Sometimes she wondered if she had known what Mr. Franklin had been planning all along if she would have told the Doctor that Harkness was looking for him.

Would it have mattered?

Now, the mindless drone was not so mindless as she watched the men's progress. Her fingers opened doors that would have been impossible for them to open any other way.

This madness would end soon.

For the first time since her brain had been reconnected to her body she smiled.

Monroe and Harkness had reached the power supply.

Yes, it would end.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Bluemont._

Hart slipped upstairs to the lobby and sat on the floor behind the counter. He needed privacy to listen to the latest message. No one down below would understand it.

His Manipulator had been damaged in the explosion but was still able to transmit. He pushed a button and a face appeared before him.

"You have done well. The block is still in place. Using the Rifts to hide the seal was pure genius. I was correct when I chose you to do this for me."

Hart smiled a little. He knew that many saw him as an airhead who only used his brains when needed but he was actually quite intelligent. The bimbo act was simply that; an act to fool. When this person had first contacted him he had been amazed and afraid. But he had accepted his mission without question. All he had asked when he performed this penance was that he found out WHY. As promised, all the answers to the puzzle had come on their own.

His mission was to seal off a piece of time. The time before Jason and Ianto first Christmas was imperative to the continuity of the time lines. He had been sent to the 21st century to protect Ianto Jones and Jason Monroe.

No one would believe him, he mused. This was why he listened to the messages in private.

"It is vital that Monroe lives. He is important to this dimension. He is an impossible thing but has become one of the key elements that hold this dimension together. Yes, one day he will die. He is only mortal and it is the way that life goes. But as long as possible he needs to live. Ianto needs him. My beautiful Ianto needs him as much as I do."

Hart had begun to suspect back when the first message came that this creature was someone he knew. The creature was very… familiar. With that last, he understood immediately who he was working for and why.

"My Ianto has a difficult decision to make. I already know what he will choose. Do not fear, old friend, for everyone must choose their own path. Whichever my Ianto chooses, it will be the right path both for him and the universe. He is that important. As is Monroe. So continue to protect them both. There are still many dangers out there. Watch over them because they are so important to me. My Ianto and Jason."

The image faded, leaving Hart alone once more.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the wall. He would protect them. Even if it killed him.

Because the creature was _Jack_.

~_~_~

_Time/Dimension Station_

They found the power supply. The room was encased in clear glass and was guarded by a single UNIT solider.

The door opened and they both blinked in surprise. This quickly turned into suspicion but did not deter them from stepping through the door. The guard turned and his face paled.

"Hello, handsome. Captain Jack Harkness!"

The soldier didn't even get his mouth open before Jason's fist connected with his jaw.

"Nice right hook."

"Thanks. Ready?"

"Oh yeah."

The power supply was conducted through a large glass tower that stood in the center of the room. White and silver streaks of energy streamed up from the floor to the top of the tower. Direct in front was a computer terminal.

"This is 51st century technology," Jack said. His fingers danced across the smooth keyboard. "The programs are sophisticated and I'm no Toshiko."

"But can you work it out?"

"Should be able. Damn, we need a password."

"Try the one Christine used to disable the bombs."

"Yeah… Unlikely to work."

"You can try."

"Fine." A pause. A slightly longer pause. "I hate you."

"Uh huh. Your father doesn't seem the type to want to have to remember multiple passwords."

"He never was. I remember that from when I was a kid."

"So, what now?"

"To be most effective the explosives need to be lined up around the perimeter of the tower."

They worked silently, looking over their shoulders constantly. Lady Luck was on their side and they exited the room. Jason pulled out a small cylinder and placed it on the door. It was a piece of technology that had fallen through the Bluemont Rift that could lock any door.

"Ya know," Jack said. "I think we had the companion to that piece of tech. Wish we still had it."

"What'd it do?"

"Could open almost any door in less than a minute. Saved our lives before."

"Hmm. Maybe another will fall through one day."

"Maybe. Shall we?"

Jack held out his elbow to Jason, who smirked and looped his arm through.

One more stop before home.

~_~_~

Mr. Franklin turned the page and read the troubled thoughts Ianto had experienced right after Jack had run off after a man called 'Doctor'. The boy had only just realized had important Jack was to him and was hurt and felt abandoned.

Soon the boy would realize that Jack was the most important part of his life, his reason for existing. If not then he would be forced.

He set the diary down and picked up his mug.

"Soon, my son, you will see that I am right. Then you will share the secret of your immortality. Together, as father and son, we will set the Earth on the correct path. Together we will rule this pitiful planet. Forever."

"And what of me?"

Mr. Franklin looked up to see Yvonne Hartman standing next to him.

"Ah, Yvonne."

"What will happen to me?"

He stared at her. "What?"

"Will I become a piece of decoration, a trophy to be shown off? Or will I be your partner?"

He was shocked. She shouldn't have been speaking or thinking like this. All she was were her memories and loyalty to him.

"You... will be at my side, of course." He would have to figure out what was wrong so he could fix it. But later.

"But as what?"

"I don't understand."

"Will I become your wife or will she become herself in my body?"

He didn't answer.

She raised a small gun to his forehead.

"I am Yvonne Hartman. I did my duty for Queen and country. You are no longer my Queen and country."

Slowly he rose, the barrel still aimed at him. "Yvonne..."

"You never should have let me keep my memories. That was a mistake. By leaving me that much, you kept my humanity intact. I will not allow you to kill Jason Monroe or harm Ianto Jones. You see, I remember him. He was such a young boy who never deserved any of this. I will not allow you to continue on."

"And what will you do? Kill me... the man you love?"

"The man I love is wrong. He doesn't exist."

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes."

"A pity."

~_~_~

_On Earth._

Sam, Ianto, Hart, Miranda, Gwen and Susan were in the van heading for the park. They were going to rendezvous with Jack and Jason… If things went as planned.

"How much farther?"

"Not much," Sam said. "Relax, Import."

"Haven't called me that in a while," Ianto commented. His stomach was filled to the brim with rats. The rats were gnawing a hole through his soul. The two most important people in his life were so far away from him, from safety, that he felt sick.

"Import?" Gwen asked, amused.

"We used to call him that when he first came," Miranda said. "We weren't thrilled about the transfer so we weren't exactly very nice."

"But now we all get along. Most of the time," Susan said.

"Shagging the boss helped," Hart smirked.

"Shut it," Ianto snipped.

"We're here," Sam said.

"Thank you, I so couldn't read the sign that says 'Bluemont City Park'," Miranda said.

"Shut it."

"Yep," Gwen said. "You two are indeed very much alike."

"Shut it."

"I rest my case."

~_~_~

Yvonne Hartman fell like a puppet whose strings had just been cut.

He stood and stepped around the desk to kneel by the body of the woman he had seduced so long ago.

There would be no fixing of the malfunction inside her. He had installed a fail safe inside her just in case. Her brain had been hanging on by a thread. That thread had been severed with the push of a button.

He would have to find a new body for his wife. He would figure that part later, after Monroe was dead and his own immortality secured.

"Good bye, Yvonne Hartman."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Sentimental? You don't seem the type."

He raised his head and stared at Jack and Jason.

"I wondered who would come. I didn't expect the both of you."

Jason raised his gun and said, "You have only one chance to surrender."

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

"No, your station will do that. Unless we take you with us."

Mr. Franklin stood and frowned at the 21st century man. "How so will my station kill me?"

"You see," Jason said. "Jackie boy here has a great sense of direction. Either that or he's just lucky. I'm leaning towards the second."

"Are you for me or against me?" Jack quipped.

Jason smirked and shook his head. "Anyway... He picked the right corridor and we found the power supply to the station."

Jack picked up the account from there. "Only one guard... pathetic. Easily subdued. And you're not very creative when it comes to encrypted passwords. We used the same numbers that disabled your Rift bombs. Next time try mixing it up."

"We've placed explosives along the perimeter of the energy tower," Jason continued. "We've set the timer to countdown from 30. That's seconds, not minutes. Not hours. Seconds."

"Susan really has a thing for threes, doesn't she?"

"I don't pry into the private affairs of my staff. Except for those pertaining to Ianto."

"Anything new to share, since you brought it up?" Jack asked.

"Remind me to tell you about naked Tuesdays."

"Ooh..."

Mr. Franklin coughed slightly and they managed to look embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry. As I was saying," Jason said. "Once we hit a little button--"

"This one, by the way," Jack put in. He waggled his right wrist and waved a finger over a button on his Manipulator.

"Then the countdown begins. Thirty seconds later... Boom."

"You would kill the people on this station so easily? That's murder," Mr. Franklin said. "And I thought you were suppose to be the heroes?"

"Oh, don't worry," Jason said in a flippant tone. "We locked everyone on the station in the cryogenic chamber on level four. They've all been frozen and transported to a Torchwood storage facility. Under guard, I might add."

"So what will happen to them then? Will you kill them after this is over?"

"Actually," Jack said as he slowly moved forward. "They will be returned to their own times where they will stand trial for crimes against Time and Space. They will most likely be found guilty and sentenced to life in prison."

"So then Miss Costello will be arrested as well? She did choose to help me," Mr. Franklin said.

"She's from this time," Jason said. "Her punishment will come from us."

"And no doubt you will have mercy on her. How... predictable."

Jack reached for the opened diary on the desk and pocketed it.

"What I don't get, son, is why you are being so unreasonable."

"Let's see, for starters you changed the time lines and got the love of my life killed. So, how am I being unreasonable?"

"I am your father. I helped create you, gave you life. All I want, Jack, is for you to share your amazing ability."

Jack looked up and met his eyes.

"You don't get it. It's not something I can do."

"Then how did you--"

"It was an accident. I didn't do anything except die and become a Fixed Point in Time and Space."

"Jack... Jack, Jack, Jack. I am your father. You can tell me. And then," Mr. Franklin smiled. "We will change history and your lover will be yours forever."

Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's not something I can do. Even if I could make anyone else immortal I wouldn't do that for you. It's not a blessing; it's a curse. Watching all the people you love grow old and die..."

"But think of all you could accomplish! Whole worlds can be ours."

Jason swallowed and glanced at Jack. He might have been immortal, but he was also only human. He could easily be tempted to join his father in his insane quest to become a god.

"Jack..."

"Be quiet Jason."

Jack kept his gaze on his father.

"I would never," he whispered harshly. "Never take over any world. I protect, I don't conquer."

"Not even to save your lover?"

"Ianto would rather die than allow me to do that. He would never be able to forgive me if I became like you."

His father looked at him in disdain.

"Then watch as he dies."

Ianto appeared directly in front of them

"Ianto."

He turned and stared at the three of them. His blue eyes widened as he took them in.

"What's going on? Where is this?"

Jason stared at his fiancé. No... Ianto couldn't be here. He was safe on Earth. How was he here? Was he going to be killed here and now?

"Ianto... Oh God." His chest constricted at the thought that this had all been for nothing.

Mr. Franklin's smile was cruel and cold. He calmly moved to stand behind the younger man and cupped Ianto's chin in his hand. Ianto froze and looked at Jason, terrified.

"What are you going to do?"

"I will kill you."

"Jason... he gets to go? He'll be safe?"

"He's bluffing," Jack gasped. His Manipulator only registered three life forms in the room. "Jason, that's not Ianto. Ianto's not here."

"But it… He…"

"A hologram."

Jack prayed he was right. If he were wrong, then he would have to watch Ianto die all over again.

"Clever, my son. Very clever."

Ianto vanished.

"Yes, of course you're right. He was merely a hologram. But I nearly fooled you."

Jason and Jack were both so angry they almost forgot what they were there to do.

"Do you surrender?" Jack demanded.

Almost.

"No."

"Then," Jason said. "It's game over."

And Jack touched the button.

~_~_~

_Earth. Bluemont City Park._

The rain came down hard as they climbed out of the van.

"Any sign of them?"

"No," Susan said.

They all looked up towards the sky.

"How much longer can we wait?" Sam asked.

"Five minutes," Miranda murmured.

"Wait? For what?" Gwen asked. She clutched Ianto's hand in hers'.

"We're still in a Code APPLE," Sam explained without looking at Ianto or Gwen.

"What does that mean?" Ianto asked.

"It means that we have a remote controller to the explosives. In five minutes, we blow the station up."

"But," Gwen gasped. "Jack and Jason are still up there!"

"Sam, you can't!"

"Ianto, Jason put me in charge."

"I am Second in Command--"

"And he knew you would never be able to do it."

Ianto stared at him.

"You're his friend."

Sam now met his gaze. His face was blank but his eyes were filled with… something.

"And I took an oath to protect this planet. Jason would never forgive me if I backed down now."

Now it was Ianto who clutched Gwen's hand.

~_~_~

Alarms blared loudly. Mr. Franklin cursed and tried to flee the room only to be stopped by Jason. Jack helped restrain his father and then activated his Vortex Manipulator.

As the light from the transport faded, Jason looked around. They were back in the park.

An explosion could be felt all over the world. They looked upwards at the sky and watched as the station became visible only to be destroyed.

It was over.

"Jason! Jack!"

Ianto ran towards them. Gwen, Sam and a few of the others were close behind.

His two lovers smiled when they saw him.

"Ianto..."

Mr. Franklin clenched his teeth in anger.

Ianto Jones had tempted and seduced his son into betraying him. This sin, this horrible sin, could not be forgiven.

He took out a small gun that he'd hidden in his sleeve (one should always be prepared) and took aim at the running figure.

"This is all _your_ fault. You took _everything_ from me!"

Jason's eyes widened in horror. _Ianto_...

He didn't think. He moved.

Jason shoved Mr. Franklin back and then staggered as the bullet buried itself deep in his chest.

Ianto screamed out his name.

Jack caught Jason as he fell.

"Jason? Jason!" Jack cradled his cousin to him. "Nonono. Not again. You can't do this."

Ianto dropped down next to them. He reached a shaking hand towards the first man he had ever loved.

There was so much blood.

He touched Jason's face. It was streaked with dirt and blood.

"Jason?" his voice but a tremor.

"Ianto..."

"Hold on, Jason. God, hold on. Don't leave me. I love you. Please don't leave me."

Ianto was crying; the tears wouldn't stop. It was happening all over again. Jason was going to die because of him. Because he loved him.

"Jack!" Gwen cried out. She pointed at Mr. Franklin who raised his gun again.

But Jack was as oblivious as Ianto. All he could see was Jason, someone who had become a major part of his world, dying in his arms.

It was a good thing that John Hart had come to the park with them. The former Time Agent fired his own weapon and watched dispassionately as Mr. Franklin fell. The madman died before his body hit the ground, eyes opened in anger and shock.

Jack looked up and saw his father. He then looked at Hart. Was it so terrible of him that he was crying over Jason and not his own father?

"I'm sorry, Jack. But it had to be done. And you've had to sacrifice too many loved ones already."

Instead of being angry with his former partner, Jack nodded. Tears continued to stream down his face.

"He wasn't my father anymore."

Jack looked down as Jason Monroe's eyes closed. Ianto's sobs were breaking his heart.

"Jason," he whispered. "Don't go. Not yet. I can't love him by myself."

The body in his arms was growing cold.

_It's not his time._

Jack leaned down and pressed his lips to Jason's.

* * *

TBC.

NOTES!!!!

Two.

More.

Chapters.

To.

Go.


	26. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Difficult Choices (aka: Needs of the Many)

He had died once and had been visited by two ghosts. The details of that encounter were fuzzy but he could recall how much they cared.

Jason Monroe opened his eyes. He found that every muscle in his body hurt. Even just _breathing _was unpleasant.

"You're awake."

He slowly turned his head to the left.

"Ianto."

His fiancé smiled and kissed the hand that he held in his own.

"Had us worried for a bit. If Jack hadn't been there..."

Jack? Oh yes, Captain Jack Harkness.

Jason now slowly turned his head to the right.

"Hey, Sunshine." Jack held his other hand, careful of the IV lead taped down to it.

"What happened?"

"We saved the world. Again. You know," Jack said thoughtfully. "We make a hell of a team."

"What about..." Jason swallowed; his throat was dry and it hurt to talk. "Your father?"

"He's dead. John Hart shot him."

"I'm sorry."

"_I'm_ not." Jack gently squeezed the limp hand. "He stopped being my father a long time ago. When our planet was invaded, in fact."

"Still, he was your father."

"Yeah. And he wanted to hurt the ones I love."

Jason looked back at the young man. Ianto had remained silent during the brief exchange but now he moved from the chair to sit on the bed. Gingerly he fussed over the blankets, rearranging them around Jason's body.

"The doctors said that once you woke up they would give you a once over. Since there was no bullet to remove or any sign of infection, you should be clear to go."

"No bullet? Ianto, I was _shot_. I felt it."

"You can thank Jack for that," Ianto said.

"Whaddya mean?"

Jack flashed him a tired smile and replied, "Remember? My kisses have healing properties. You technically died but I brought you back. Didn't think it was gonna work until you came to and threatened to hit me if I ever kissed you again."

"Did I?" Jason looked to Ianto for confirmation.

"Yep. You then went into shock from the... blood loss. We got you to the hospital and into the ER."

"How long have I been here?"

"One week," Jack said. "Sam took care of cleanup. The... body has been placed in storage. Jenny did an autopsy but found nothing unusual besides the advanced physiology."

"So no chance that he was not acting on someone's orders?"

"No. None. But it doesn't matter." Jack now was the one to fuss over the blankets. "I mourned for my father once before as a child. I will mourn him again. But I will not pretend that he was not a monster there at the end. Too many people have been hurt because of him."

"Then," Ianto said softly. "Don't mourn him. Remember him as he was before the invasion. Remember him as your father, not what he had become."

Jason leaned back against the pillows and struggled to stay awake.

"Don't fight it," Jack said. "Your body knows what it needs."

"I want out of here."

"I'll get the doctor."

Ianto stood and walked out of the room.

"Jason."

"Hm?"

Jack moved onto the bed. He looked at the mortal man wrapped in bandages and wanted to cry.

"You have no idea," he murmured. "How scared I was when I thought we lost you. Or how relieved I was when I saw that we hadn't."

Jack then leaned over and pressed his trembling lips to Jason's forehead.

And it was enough.

* * *

_Three days later. Torchwood Bluemont._

Jason sighed as he looked around the base. Most of the rubble had been cleared out and the equipment replaced. The medical bay needed a complete overhaul as did he lower levels. The alien specimens had to be moved until the remodel was finished. Most of the computer systems had been recovered and the base was fully functioning.

He watched as his team worked. It always impressed them how well they could cope in a crisis. But this had been something far beyond anything they had dealt with before. The fact that none of them wanted to leave and live a safer life was extraordinary. He really didn't know what he'd do if he lost any of them.

As Jack had.

That single thought made his chest tighten.

What would he have done if one of his loved ones had died?

And on that note, what would he do if he lost Ianto?

Now that the crisis was over and the world was safe (for the time being) it was time for Ianto to make his decision. Ianto would have to choose between him and Jack.

Jason really didn't want to think about that. What could he possibly offer Ianto that Jack Harkness couldn't top? Did he even want to try to convince Ianto to stay? Jack could protect him for as long as Ianto lived whereas Jason could die just from falling down the stairs.

Ianto deserved to be happy after so much pain and suffering.

Jason knew that he loved him enough to let him go.

But...

But was he _strong _enough to let Ianto go?

"Coffee?"

He turned to face the man who had turned his world upside down not once, but twice.

"Thanks."

He sipped his coffee silently as he tried to imagine a life without Ianto. The young man had been there for him when he most needed someone. He could remember so many years with the Welshman. Every single time his life went Topsy-turvy, it was Ianto who helped him pick up the pieces. Maybe Ianto couldn't remember the life they had shared for decades but Jason knew that it was because of the love they shared –a love with no conditions, no restrictions-- that he was able to keep going. It was because of Ianto Jones that Jason was able to live.

"So, any idea what to do about Kate?" Ianto asked.

"Jenny said she needed to talk to us about it. I'm reserving judgment until after." Jason looked up from his mug. "Come with me?"

"Of course."

No, Jason _wasn_'t strong enough to let him go.

* * *

"Her brain is still heavily damaged but there is a chance she'll recover."

"How _good _of a chance, Jenny?"

"That depends on how good she is at forgetting." At Jason and Ianto's confused looks she elaborated. Reluctantly. "The damage was caused by severe psychological trauma. She was forced to see her greatest fears over and over. She still remembers seeing all of that." Jenny hesitated and looked away. "Imagine seeing what terrifies you the most over and over and the only way to stop it is to retreat inside your own mind? That's what she's doing right now. Kate is reliving her past, when she felt most safe."

"So... if she forgets, then she might get better?" Ianto said. "Could we retcon her then?"

Jenny shook her head. "The trauma's too ingrained. We would have to erase a lot more than her last few days from her mind. And if that report you wrote on retcon is accurate then all it would take is for something to jog her memory and we're right back here."

Jason recalled the day John Hart had rescued his family. Kate had been lost in the past when she saw Ianto before her. That had been enough to shatter whatever had been left of her mind.

He looked through the glass at his ex-wife. He thought of the kids. They needed their mother. And she needed them.

"I need to think about this. Tomorrow I'll tell you my decision," he said.

He steered his fiancé out of the makeshift medical bay.

"Jason," Ianto said once they were alone. "I need to talk to Jack tonight. Is that okay? Or do you need me?"

"I always need you, Ianto. But I need to think and right now... I want to be alone."

"Then, tomorrow? I'll need to talk to you then too."

His heart was breaking but Jason nodded.

"Tomorrow."

* * *

_Apartment above the grocer._

Jack took the proffered glass of red wine and moved over so that Ianto could sit next to him. Once the younger man was cuddled into his side, the immortal sighed and leaned back.

"Been a hell of a week, hasn't it?"

"Mm."

It was the truth.

After the Time/Dimension station had exploded (and Jason rushed to the hospital) there had been a massive mop-up operation. Bobby and Susan had been able to reboot the network between the Torchwoods. The bases had worked together to control as much of the damage caused by the station as possible. The planet had been trampled by the environmental destruction that wreaked havoc across the entire globe. But in just a few days the Torchwood Institute had joined forces to help the world recover. It would be a slow process but Jack was certain that it would succeed.

If there was only one thing that Jack would remember about the human race as a whole it was that it was resilient.

And now that Jason Monroe was out of the hospital it would thrive even more.

"Ianto?"

"Hm?"

"As comfortable as I'm sure you are, and believe me when I say I'm all about comfort, what is it you want to talk about?"

"Can't get a thing past you, can I?"

Ianto sat up and sighed. He took a sip from his glass and gathered his thoughts.

"We... need to talk about us."

"You mean your decision." Jack nodded. "So that means you've made your choice. I kinda thought that you had."

"How did you figure that?"

"For starters, you had that look on your face when you asked me to come over here."

"What look?"

"Oh you know. The one where your ears go a bit red and then your nose does this little crinkle thing..." Jack trailed off as his lover pulled back and stared at him like he was mental.

"Uh..." Ianto eloquently gaped at him.

"Er, sorry. Too much?"

"Just a bit."

"It's the nose. I like your nose."

"Right."

"Okay, anyway. We were having a serious conversation."

"Yes we were."

"About your decision. You made your choice."

"I have. And now we need to discuss it."

"Then let's discuss. Which is funny if you think about it."

"How so?"

"I recall a conversation of sorts where a certain sexy Welshman Tea Boy in a suit told me that he wasn't much of a talker."

Ianto couldn't help but choke back a sob.

"Jack..."

Jack turned and pulled Ianto into his arms.

"I'm so sorry," Ianto whispered. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he buried his face into Jack's neck. He breathed in the gentle scent of the pheromones he loved so much.

But not as much as he loved the one that they belonged to.

"Jack... I'm..."

"I know."

"I love you."

Jack leaned back against the couch and smiled.

"I know that too."

Ianto let out a soft laugh and wiped at his face.

"I never wanted to have to do this. I never wanted to have to decide."

"Ianto, it's okay. I understand."

"But why?"

"Because I love you too."

Jack wrapped his arms tightly around his lover as the floodgates opened. His shirt was soaked through and he didn't even care.

He was smiling.

"Shh. Sh-shh. It's okay. It's gonna be okay."

"'ow can it?" Ianto said, his accent thicker. "How can it be okay when I'm not with you?"

Jack settled Ianto close to his chest.

"Two things you need to remember. You ready?" He grinned at the upset man. "One, Jason Monroe loves you. And two--" he reached up and brushed a thumb over a pain tear-stained cheek. His grin softened into the most tender of smiles.

"What's number two, then?"

"So does Captain Jack Harkness."

"Jack..."

"More than anything."

Ianto bit his lip and said, "I want to be with you but I can't... I couldn't do that to him." He pulled back and looked away. "Jack, he's been through so much. I can't just leave him. Not now."

"I know. And I understand. I really do."

They looked at each other. So many memories swam between them just through their locked gazes.

"Ianto Jones. Tea Boy who makes the most wonderful coffee – the best in the universe – and saves the world while looking good in a suit."

"Jack."

"There's that smile I love. Ianto Jones, do you want to know a secret?"

"Sure."

"I won't ever be able to love another as long as you exist."

"Don't. Jack, don't say that!"

"It's the truth. Isn't that what you always wanted from me?"

"Not like that."

"Ianto, I love you more than anyone or anything. I thought I was made immortal so I could find the Doctor but I was wrong. It was so I could meet you."

Tears slowly trickled down the immortal's face as he smiled at his mortal lover. Strange. Even though he was shedding tears he felt so... at peace. This was the right thing to do. Ianto and Jason needed each other. And he needed them both.

"I have eternity to meet someone else. But I don't have that much time to be with you. Even if I'm just your friend, that's enough."

Bright blue eyes shined as they met his own.

"Then can I be a bit selfish and ask you to keep your word? You won't be with anyone else..."

"You can be as selfish as you want."

"Will you do something else for me?"

"Name it."

Ianto reached out and plucked at Jack's shirt.

"One more time... Make love with me?"

A slow smile spread across the Time Agent's face.

"All night long, Tiger Pants." He pulled his lover into his arms. "All night long."

* * *

_At Jason's house._

A cup of cold coffee.

That was all he had in the world.

Jason sat on the couch with a cup of cold coffee in his hands, thinking. The kids were still at the base where they could be with their mother.

He had a decision to make and no matter what he chose it was going to be painful.

Kate's mind was deteriorating fast. It would not be long before she was completely lost. And there was the kids to take into consideration. They needed their mother and they needed her whole.

He knew what he had to do. He also knew that he would have a battle on his hands when he told the team his decision. All he could hope for was that they would support him.

His eyes fell onto a framed picture that had sat on the coffee table for the last few months.

It had been taken at Christmas, at his parents' house. The smile on Ianto's face matched the one on his own as they looked towards the camera.

Jason looked down at his left hand. The gold band on his ring finger twinkled in the low light.

"I don't want to lose you too, Ianto."

But he was so afraid that after tomorrow he would be all alone.

* * *

_The following morning. Torchwood Bluemont._

They had gathered in on of the upper level storage rooms. A table had been placed in the center and was surrounded by chairs. In front of all of them sat a cup of coffee, tea or water. It looked like a normal meeting.

Except that the topic of discussion was not of the typical sort.

Jason sat at the head of the table with Jack and Ianto on either side of him. He was more than a little grateful for their presence so close by. Something told him he was going to need their support.

"I've decided what to do concerning Kate and the kids," he announced.

The entire room was silent as they awaited for him to continue.

"You are all aware that Kate's mind is badly damaged. If we do nothing then it will get worse. However, all that can be done is a total mind wipe."

"What does that mean?" Ianto asked. Torchwood Cardiff always used little white pills to erase people's memories. Since his transfer to Bluemont that was all he had seen used (and that had only been possible because of him).

"It's advanced Earth technology. Every single memory she has ever had will be erased. New memories will be implanted using a tiny microchip."

"And her personality will remain the same..." Jack finished.

"You know it?"

"If I'm correct, then it's part of the Time Agency Relocation program."

Jason started to say something then stopped. He opened his mouth after a moment and said, "We'll need to erase the kids' memories too."

"What? Dad!"

Christine stared at her father in shock. She had suspected a mind wipe for her mother, even her siblings, but her?

"Your mother can never remember what happened. If she does, then she'll probably come undone."

"But me? I won't say anything. You can trust me Dad!"

"It's not a matter of trust, Christine. It's a matter of safety."

"I don't understand."

"When you first found out about Torchwood I told you that this job requires total commitment. I told you that in order for us to succeed everyone here has to be willing to give up everything. Not a single one of us is more important than the world. That means that we have to make sacrifices to keep the world safe."

"So then that's what I am? A sacrifice?" Christine held her tears in check but her voice wavered as she spoke. "Aren't I your daughter as well?"

"Nearly six years ago you watched as your little sister was taken over by aliens. Do you know," Jason asked. "What saved her?"

They stared at each other silently.

"A man, a very brave man, had to make a choice. One child, a child close to him, a member of his family. This child was sacrificed in order to stop the aliens from taking the children or destroying the planet. It wasn't something he wanted to do but he knew that the world and all the people on it were counting on him. And so he made the most difficult decision of his entire life."

Jason couldn't look her in the eye.

"I committed myself to serving Torchwood. I have to be willing to make difficult choices so I can protect the world."

Christine glanced across at Jack.

"So then if I want Mom to be okay and the others safe I have to be willing to forget everything?" She ran a hand over her face. "Okay. But even if I forget, I'll still love you."

It was so much like the day that Mr. Franklin had erased his own memories. Could he really do this?

"There's one thing you're forgetting," Gwen said softly. She reached over and squeezed the girl's hand. "Christine accepted all of this when she first found it. Aliens, Torchwood.... none of it has scared her."

"So what do you suggest?" Jason asked. "My children need their mother and they need her to be alright."

"Yes they do," conceded Gwen. "Except for Christine. She's independent."

"She has proven that many times, Jason," Ianto pointed out. "From the moment she followed you here on her bike."

"An invaluable asset to the Institute," Gwen said. "The world may very well depend on her to save it one day. If she doesn't remember, then all may be for naught."

"I don't have a choice!"

"Sure you do," Jack said. He looked over at Hart who nodded in encouragement.

"What? Tell me what choice I have," snapped Jason.

"The future." Jack raised the hand with his wrist strap. "After their memories have been altered, John and I can take them to the future. There's a colony world made up of temporal refugees from various Earth eras and cultures. They can live out their lives and Kate can get better."

"And I can stay here?" Christine asked hopefully.

Jack flashed her a smile. "Yeah." His expression became grave as he told the rest. "The only thing is that they could never come back. It's part of the relocation program."

The room was so silent, Jason felt like screaming just to make certain he hadn't gone deaf.

What Jack suggested meant that he would never be able to see his other three kids again. They would finish out their lives on a planet and time far away and he would never know what they experienced. But he would still have Christine. With her in his life it would make the pain a little more bearable.

"I say we vote," Ianto said. "Everyone in favor of Jack's plan raise your hand."

Jason looked up and watched as one by one his team lifted their hands into the air. He felt the tightness in his chest lessen just a bit. It was not an ideal solution but it was better than his own. Christine was indeed very independent; she didn't need her mother the way that the others did. Richard, Rob and Katelyn needed Kate the way that Jason needed Ianto. To separate them from her would be more cruel than if she had died. He knew that as long as they had each other, no matter what memories they had, they would be fine.

As for him and Christine... they could imagine together what sort of life their loved ones had. They would make the sacrifice together.

"Okay," he said finally. "We'll wipe their memories and implant new ones. Then we'll send them to the future colony. Christine will go back to Michigan and finish school before she starts her Torchwood training. Agreed?"

"Agreed," they all said in unison.

"Then let's get started."

* * *

_Two days later. Torchwood Bluemont._

John Hart had been gone just a few minutes. He had promised to return as soon as he had gotten the Monroe's settled into the relocation center.

Now Jason sat at his desk sipping a cup of coffee while he read through a report. He was forcing himself to stay busy so that maybe (just maybe) he could ignore the pang of sorrow that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Knock knock. Jason, can we come in?" asked Ianto. Jack was with him.

"Sure, come on in."

The other two men sat themselves down across from him.

"I've decided what to do about Suzie," Jack said. "Here in America the Institute has a good rehab program. It was designed for temporal refugees and aliens but I don't see why it wouldn't work for her."

Jason nodded. "So her punishment is to live. Good idea. That baby deserves a chance and who knows? She might be the best mother ever."

"That means,"Ianto said carefully. "There's only one thing left to do."

"You mean your choice." Jason nodded again. He picked up his coffee and sipped. His left hand shifted the report aside and the light from the desk lamp reflected off the ring.

This was not a conversation he wanted to have. He knew what Ianto was going to say and it hurt. He was going to lose the one person who he hadn't been able to forget. At least he would have Christine, thanks to Jack.

Thanks to Jack.

Had Jack Harkness never met the Doctor then none of this would have happened.

But then again... had Mr. Franklin not destroyed his home world then Jason would never have been born and never met Ianto.

He took a deep breath and set his cup down.

"So?"

"So..." Ianto stood and stepped around the desk and held out his left hand.

Jason took hold of it and absently fingered the gold and diamond braid. He wondered if it would be weird for Ianto to keep it.

"How does day after tomorrow sound?"

"For what?"

What the young Welshman said next made him choke.

"For the wedding, of course."

"Wedding?"

Jack stood and grinned. "Funny bit of Torchwood trivia. Every head of every base has the authority to perform certain... ceremonies. Such as weddings."

"Wait-- what?" Jason stood and looked at the two en as if they'd sprouted antenna.

Ianto then shocked the hell out of him by going down on one knee.

"Ianto?"

"Jason Monroe, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

* * *

On to the last chapter!


	27. Epilogue

Epilogue: Never Gonna Be Alone From This Moment On

Jack smiled as he watched Jason and Ianto dance.

The wedding had been a quick but pleasant affair. The Bluemont staff, Gwen, Suzie, Hart and Christine were the only attendees. Jenny had made cupcakes and everyone else had pitched in to decorate the storeroom just off from the main part of the base.

Ianto and Jason wore matching gray suits and matching smiles. Donning his great coat, Jack had stood before them and joined the two men together in marriage. At Jason's side stood his daughter. Gwen was next to Ianto. The two women wore pretty dresses as they watched the exchange of vows.

(Hart had wanted to give Ianto away but that was voted down. It didn't help his case that he tried to grope both men and kiss Jason.)

"You okay?" Gwen asked as she joined him.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Jack," she said gently. "It's okay to be sad."

"Look at him, Gwen. Look at Ianto. Have you ever seen him so happy as he is right now?" At the shake of her head, he smiled. "He's happy so how could I be anything but?"

"Even though he didn't choose you?"

Jack smiled and turned his attention onto her fully.

"Thing is Gwen, I don't think this is it. Yeah, Ianto chose Jason and I promise I will never try to come between them again. But I truly believe that one day, somehow, someway... I'll be with Ianto again."

"And Jason?"

"Jason Monroe. I started out hating him but now, now Gwen I can't imagine a life without him."

He flashed her a grin and rose from his seat. He walked across the room to the newlyweds.

"May I cut in?"

Ianto smiled a bright smile at him. Without a second thought Jason let go of his husband.

"Don't run off, you two."

Jack chuckled and pulled Ianto close to him.

"You know," he said a few moments later. "I don't know who looked better. You or him."

Ianto's laughter lit up all the dark places.

It was all going to work itself out in the end.

~_~_~

A few hours later the staff of Torchwood Bluemont stood in the very same park where they had defeated Mr. Franklin.

Jack, Gwen and John Hart were ready to go back to Cardiff.

"So all that's left now that we've saved the world is to rebuild." Jack adjusted his coat, held out his hand and smiled.

Jason shook the offered hand. "The Torchwood Institute will become what it should always have been."

"The first international Torchwood convention," Gwen said with a laugh.

"It'll be a blast organizing it, I'm sure," Jason replied.

"And a good excuse for us to visit," Jack pointed out. His expression turned serious. "I meant what I said before. Anytime you need us, just call."

Ianto reached out and touched his arm. "Take care of yourselves. And definitely feel free to drop in on us."

Jack's face softened and he cupped Ianto's face in both his hands. His lips pressed gently onto the other man's.

"We'd better get going, Jack," Hart said.

"Yeah."

One day he knew he would be with his Welshman again.

"Jason Monroe, take care of him or you'll hear from me," he said.

"You know I will," Jason assured him, his arm around his husband's waist.

No longer was he jealous or afraid of Ianto's memories of Jack Harkness. There was no need.

Jack stepped back and held out his elbow to Gwen.

Torchwood Bluemont watched as Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and John Hart vanished in a swirl of light.

Slowly they all began to make their way back to their vehicles. They had a difficult time ahead of them. All the Torchwoods across the world were reestablishing relations with each other. Planet Earth itself needed to recover from the damage caused by Mr. Franklin. The Rifts were slowly receding back to their original sizes and life went on.

Jason stopped outside of the van and took hold of his husband's arm.

"What is it Jason?"

"Do you regret it? Choosing me?" Jason asked.

Ianto smiled and caressed his husband's jaw.

"No. Never. I will never stop loving him but it's you I live for."

He tilted his head up and kissed Jason tenderly.

As they parted Jason asked, "So ever consider adoption?"

Ianto laughed and pulled him close for another kiss.

~_~_~

_Torchwood Cardiff._

"Jack, can we talk?"

"Sure John. But be quick. Gwen wants to head on home and I have a lot of paperwork to get through."

Hart chewed thoughtfully on his lip before speaking.

"I knew a while ago that he would choose Monroe. It was supposed to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"The thing that was blocking the past? That was me."

"what?"

"With a little help from you."

"What are you talking about?"

Hart set a small book on the desk in front of Jack.

"This is a diary that I have kept for nearly three years now. Three years ago I received a message from a creature calling himself the Face of Boe."

"That was what I was called when I was younger."

"Yeah, I know."

"What are you trying to tell me, John?"

"The Face of Boe... the future Jack Harkness. He entrusted me with the safety of the one he loved the most. I just didn't realize what and who and why until recently."

Jack stared at his friend with his mouth open.

"What?"

"And now he wants to talk to you."

Hart set down a small communications device and activated it. A face, warped by many years and many pains, appeared.

"Hello, Jack."

The lips did not move, the words were whispered into the immortal's mind.

"I know it's a lot to take in but just try."

"You're me?" Jack asked.

"In a way, yes. But I am also them."

"Them? Who?"

"Ianto Jones. Jason Monroe. They have become a part of me."

"I don't..." Jack broke off and frowned.

"Jason is an impossible thing, like you. Both of you love Ianto more than anything else. Neither of these things will ever change."

"Ianto... will I ever be with him again?"

"Oh yes. Sooner than you think." The Face of Boe seemed to smile. "They belong together just as much as he belongs with you. One day Jason Monroe will die and leave Ianto alone."

"That's not..." Jack felt anxious and concerned. "I don't want that for them."

"Ianto loves both you and Monroe equally. He could never really choose between you. And he does not have to.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"When he dies, Jason Monroe and you will join your minds and consciousness into one. Two minds and two hearts in one body."

"And Ianto?" breathed Jack. "What will become of him?"

"He will live out the rest of his life with both of you. When his body fails he too will join with you."

Jack stared at the Face of Boe.

Forever. That's what the Face of Boe was telling him. One day he would be with Ianto and Jason both forever.

A smile, filled with delight and hope, spread across his face.

Even when the Rift alarm went off he couldn't stop smiling.

"Jack!" Gwen shouted. "Weevils!"

"Damn Rift. We just got back!" Hart moaned while the others laughed. He turned off the small device and put it in his pocket.

Jack bounded up from his chair and out the door.

"John," he called. "Are you up for chasing a couple of Weevils?"

Another alarm sounded just as the two men reached the door.

~_~_~

_Meanwhile, in Bluemont. The house of Jason Monroe and Ianto Jones._

"Got the tickets?" Ianto asked.

"Yep. Want me to carry that?"

"I got it."

Ianto smiled as he snapped the suitcase shut. He couldn't wait to get to the Greenbrier hotel. It was supposed to be beautiful. The perfect location for a honeymoon.

Jason was about to head out to the car (borrowed from Sam) when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Jason! Long time, no see!"

"Jack?" Jason couldn't stop the grin. "What's up?"

"You're not gonna believe this," Jack laughs. "But I think the world is ending."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I wish. Can you get to a computer?"

"Ianto, go grab the laptop. Jack needs a hand."

"Don't you love Torchwood?" Jack joked.

"So much for a honeymoon," Ianto sighed as he pulled off his jacket.

"I'll make it up to you, Baby," Jason promised.

"Not your fault. While I'm getting the laptop I'll put on a pot of coffee," Ianto said as he walked out of the bedroom. "Something tells me it's going to be a long night."

THE END?

* * *

Okay, so what do you think? Yes, there are still unanswered questions I'm sure but then again.... SEQUEL!!

Tell me what you think of these last two chapters. What did you like the most? Do you agree with the decision to erase Kate and the kids' memories? What about the Face of Boe actually being a combination of Jack, Ianto and Jason?

It would have been so easy to either kill off Jason or set up a three-way relationship but I didn't want that. I wanted Ianto to choose and I still wanted him to be able to have both men.

Now!!! A sneak-peek at my in-progress story, "Not the Expected Happy Ending".

Ianto knows Jack doesn't love him so he runs away. He meets a handsome man who teaches him to love. As for Jack, an old flame finds the way back into his life.

~_~_~

"Not the Expected Happy Ending"

"_Have you ever loved anyone like that Jack?"_

The simple question, choked out in a heartbroken tone, had haunted Jack since they had been uttered almost eighteen months ago.

Captain Jack Harkness sat back in his chair, hands in his hair, lost in his own thoughts.

The answer to that dismal question was yes. Oh yes.

"Jack, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You can tell me."

"No I can't."

Ianto stared at him.

"Do you love me?"

Jack swallowed. He whispered hoarsely, "No. Not in the way you need me to."

Jack couldn't believe that his heart wasn't full of pain like it should have been at the end of a relationship.

_He packed his bags and walked away._

_Those beautiful eyes never left his as he walked to the car._

_As he drove away he looked into the rear view mirror and met those eyes._

Not ever seeing those eyes again hurt. Ianto's own pain was nothing compared to that.

What kind of selfish person was he that his friend's pain meant so little to him?

"I do understand, Jack. That's why I'm walking away. I have to walk away from you before I can't."

Ianto gave him one more sad smile before he walked out the door.

Jack was left in his office with only a cup of coffee for company.

And all he could think about was that yes, he had loved someone like that.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Look for the first chapter of this and the "TW America" sequel soon!

But first, look for the updated "After the Fall: books 1 – 3." Go to my profile page every Sunday for updates!

And to all of you:

THANK YOU!!!!!


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